As Virginia lawmakers continue to examine potential solutions to address high health care costs during the 2025 legislative session, protecting our local medical innovation industry and ensuring patients can access necessary and lifechanging treatments must be a top priority.
The 340B Drug Pricing Program, otherwise known as 340B, was created by Congress just over 30 years ago to help low-income and uninsured patients across the country access more affordable medications. While well intended, the reality is many 340B hospitals and the pharmacies with whom they contract to dispense 340B medications are taking advantage of the program — pocketing discounts and raking in massive profits instead of lowering costs for vulnerable patients.
Raise your voice to help ensure Virginia patients can access the care they rely on.
Act now and send a letter to your state lawmakers urging them to protect Virginia's life sciences economy by rejecting policies that would facilitate continued abuse of the 340B Drug Pricing Program. Virginians need policies that will improve access to innovative treatments, not limit it. Take action now!
Dear [LAWMAKER NAME],
As you consider policy proposals to lower the cost of care for Virginians this session, I urge you to oppose policies that do so at the expense of patient access to lifesaving care and Virginia's innovation economy.
The 340B Drug Pricing Program was created by Congress just over 30 years ago to help low-income and uninsured patients across the country access more affordable medications. While well intended, the reality is many 340B hospitals and the pharmacies with whom they contract to dispense 340B medications are taking advantage of the program — pocketing discounts and raking in massive profits while marking up health costs for vulnerable patients.
By supporting any policies intended to improve access to care by expanding 340B Drug Pricing Program without guardrails, the Virginia General Assembly would enable large hospitals and for-profit corporations to continue drawing profits from program discounts without having to address whether those savings are appropriately passed along to reduce vulnerable Virginia patients' out-of-pocket costs and improve patient care and access.
Right here in Virginia, Bon Secours Mercy Health, a covered major nonprofit health care system, misused the program through its Richmond Community Hospital, a small community primary care facility in Richmond's East End. While cutting critical health care services at the Richmond hospital, including closing their intensive care unit, Bon Secours generated over $100 million in profit from 340B.
Virginia patients are counting on you to stand up to profiteering middlemen and protect access to the treatments they rely on. Please oppose expansion of the 340B hospital markup program.
Thank you,
[CONSTITUENT NAME]
