23 Oct The Batavian: Schumer vows to restore federal funding that helps fund patient care at UMMC, other rural hospitals
“Sen. Charles Schumer made his annual visit to Genesee County (he visits every county in the state at least once a year) to pledge to the local medical community and the citizens who depend on that medical community that he will do everything he can to restore funding for the 340B Drug Pricing Program.
The 340B program was enacted in 1992 provides qualifying hospitals — hospitals that tend to serve more low-income patients — with deep discounts on medications used in the treatment of cancer. The intent of the program is to allow hospitals to treat more patients and provide comprehensive services.
Dan Ireland, CEO of United Memorial Medical Center, said the program has allowed the hospital to reinvest $2 million annually into better patient care.
“To some folks, this is about money but really what it is about is the investment that’s made for people, for health care, for our friends and our neighbors and our loved ones,” Ireland said. “That $2 million gets reinvested in programs to help support cancer care as we talked about and the emergency room and outpatient clinics so folks can access care close to their homes in a timely manner.”
