For years, the cost of prescription medications has been a hot topic for many Americans, especially those living in vulnerable communities throughout New York. In 1992, Congress created the 340B Drug Pricing Program to address this problem of affordability and inequity. This program, which allowed eligible healthcare entities such as hospitals and safety-net clinics, to purchase prescription drugs from manufacturers at significantly reduced prices, had the noble goal of making medications more affordable for vulnerable populations.

Despite these good intentions, the 340B program has gone astray in fulfilling the promise of enhancing healthcare access and equity for underserved communities.

During New York’s 2024 legislative session, legislation was introduced aimed at reforming and expanding the 340B program. While well-meaning, it overlooked several key issues we’ve seen firsthand, lending itself to exacerbating the current problems within the program instead of abating them. We have seen firsthand that the system is horribly broken. Expanding 340B in New York without addressing the existing problems within the program fails to fix the access and equity healthcare gaps within these communities that persist today. Any real reform of 340B must happen at the federal level and require 340B entities to be transparent about how they’re using the funds they receive from 340B. By implementing transparency and........

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