Oklahoma Republicans Help Override 340B Law Veto

Big Pharma just keeps losing and losing. Oklahoma lawmakers recently overturned the veto of Gov. Kevin Stitt (R) to pass the latest 340B anti-discrimination and contract pharmacy access bill.

Two state lawmakers deserve a special shout-out of appreciation: Rep. Preston Stinson and Sen. Brent Howard, two Republicans who saw through the drug industry’s lies and dark-money attacks and led the charge to protect America’s healthcare safety net. There was never any question about strong legislative support for HB 2048.  The Oklahoma House voted 79-9 and the Senate voted 42-3 to override the veto on May 29 – easily surmounting the two-thirds majority required.

The new law prohibits drug companies from refusing to provide discounted 340B pricing to pharmacies contracted to local hospitals for dispensing. It also blocks pharmacy benefit management companies from reimbursing 340B scrips at lower rates than other prescriptions. Oklahoma is the 17th state to pass this important type of legislation.

Stinson and Howard had this to say when Stitt embarrassed himself and vetoed the bill last month: “The Oklahoma Legislature overwhelmingly passed House Bill 2048 to give rural Oklahomans a fighting chance against the $7 trillion drug industry that prioritizes profits over people. We ask our colleagues in the House and Senate to join us in urging leadership in both chambers to override this veto so Oklahomans across the state … do not lose access to life-saving health care. We introduced this bill to stand with Oklahoma patients, local pharmacists, and frontline providers while Big Pharma rakes in record profits and fights President Trump’s mission to lower prescription drug costs for all Americans.”

Can we get an Amen?  

For anyone who’s paying attention, there should be no doubt that the 340B Drug Discount Program enjoys strong support from Republicans in red states. Big Pharma has spent millions swaying many GOP legislators in Congress against the program but local, red-state lawmakers recognize 340B is a lifeline for their rural hospitals and aren’t intimidated by smear campaigns funded by dark money. “These groups spread blatant lies and misinformation to attack us and our fellow conservatives in the Legislature,” said Stinson and Howard. “They claimed we support illegal immigration and gender transition surgeries for minors, when nothing could be further from the truth.”

It’s such a pleasure to watch these disgusting lies shrivel and die in the bright light of day. Bravo Rep. Stinson and Rep. Howard! 

You’re making America healthy again.