Autoimmune Association Urges Federal Reform of 340B Program to Protect Patients

The Autoimmune Association welcomes the Senate HELP Committee’s hearing examining the growth and impact of the 340B Drug Pricing Program. For the millions of Americans living with autoimmune diseases—conditions such as lupus, Crohn’s disease, multiple sclerosis, and psoriasis—affordable access to medications isn’t optional; it’s life-sustaining.

What the 340B Program Is—In Simple Terms

The 340B Drug Pricing Program was created in 1992 to help certain hospitals and community health centers stretch their limited resources and provide care for people who otherwise couldn’t afford it. In simple terms, it allows these hospitals and clinics to buy prescription drugs at much lower prices. The idea was that the money they saved could be used to serve more patients, offer free or low-cost care, and keep essential programs running in communities that need them most.

When Good Intentions Go Off Track

Unfortunately, over time, the 340B program has grown far beyond its original intent. Many large hospital systems and pharmacy chains have found ways to profit from the discounts, keeping much of the savings for themselves instead of using them to lower costs or improve care for patients. Meanwhile, the smaller community clinics that truly serve vulnerable populations often struggle to keep up.

The recent Congressional Budget Office (CBO) report confirms what patient advocates have long been saying: that unchecked growth in the 340B program is driving up costs for taxpayers while failing to deliver meaningful benefits to the patients it was designed to serve. Instead of ensuring medication affordability for those who need it most, the program’s lack of oversight has allowed profits to accumulate at the institutional level, leaving patients behind.

Why This Matters for People with Autoimmune Diseases

Autoimmune diseases are chronic, complex conditions that often require lifelong treatment and specialized care. Many patients rely on expensive biologic drugs or infusion therapies to keep their immune systems in balance and prevent flare-ups that can cause lasting organ damage or disability.

These treatments can be expensive, and can require frequent doctor visits, lab work, and ongoing monitoring. For someone managing multiple prescriptions and regular infusions, even small changes in coverage or pricing can have significant financial consequences.

Access and affordability are already major barriers. Too many patients must decide between paying for medication and meeting basic living expenses. Others are forced to travel long distances to find specialists familiar with their condition. For people in rural or underserved areas, those challenges are magnified. That’s why programs like 340B, when they work as intended, are so critical to health equity.

Standing Up for Patients on Capitol Hill

The Autoimmune Association will meet with members of Congress and their staff to reinforce the original intent of the 340B Drug Pricing Program. We’ll share how the program has veered off course, the consequences for people living with autoimmune diseases, and why reform is urgently needed to restore accountability and fairness.

You Can Take Action for Better Care

We also encourage advocates like you to join us in this effort. Contact your senators and representatives by phone, email, or social media and share your story. Every voice matters in showing lawmakers the real impact of these policies on patients’ lives and urging them to support meaningful reform. Click here, and below “Contact Your Legislators,” click “View Your Election Center” and enter your address to get a list of your elected officials and their contact information.

Congress has an obligation to fix the 340B program so it works as intended. Patients are counting on it.

Additional Resources

• Webpage: About the 340B Program
• Video: About the 340B Program
• Op-Ed: Guest column: Michigan Legislators, help autoimmune patients access medications

Glossary of Terms

• Access to Care — The ability of individuals to obtain health services when needed.
• Pharmacy Benefit Managers — Corporations that administer drug prescription plans for insurance companies; they manage high-cost specialty medication. They help to control what medications are available, which can potentially restrict access for patients.
• 340B Program — A federal initiative in the United States that allows certain eligible healthcare organizations, known as covered entities, to purchase outpatient prescription drugs at discounted prices.