20 Mar Times of San Diego: Successful 340B Outpatient Drug Program a Bargain for Taxpayers

“For 25 years, a highly effective but little-known program created by Congress—the 340B Drug Pricing Program—has allowed health care providers at safety-net hospitals such as ours, UC San Diego Health, to enhance and strengthen the care we provide to our communities and especially to vulnerable patients—all at no cost to taxpayers. This is because the 340B Drug Pricing Program enables qualifying hospitals, clinics and other providers that treat a significant share of vulnerable patients to purchase outpatient drugs at a discount from drug manufacturers.

At UC San Diego Health, like many other hospitals around the nation, we serve a critical role as a health care safety net, providing high-quality care to all patients, including those who are under-insured or uninsured. We provide the area’s only regional burn center, a comprehensive stroke center, one of only two Level 1 trauma centers, the only National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center, plus primary and specialty care clinics, outpatient treatment programs and other services that are not widely available.”

Read More: https://timesofsandiego.com/opinion/2018/03/19/opinion-340b-drug-pricing-program-strengthens-healthare-at-no-cost-to-taxpayers/