A little-known federal program intended to help struggling health care providers has blossomed into a moneymaker for big hospitals and should be reformed, some members of Congress say.
The 340B Drug Pricing Program began in 1992 as a way to give financial help to safety-net providers such as rural referral centers and community health clinics.
For years, it seemed to do exactly that.
Yet changes ushered in by the Affordable Care Act sparked rapid growth in the program, especially among large hospital systems. Some lawmakers are convinced the program has increased costs for all Americans.
Others are concerned that minimal reporting requirements make the program difficult to manage….
The Little-Known Program That Benefits Large Health Care Systems
