VIEWPOINT: A Call for Compassionate Healthcare Reform: Restoring the Promise of 340B

As faith leaders in Delaware, we are called to advocate for programs that serve our most vulnerable neighbors. The 340B Drug Pricing Program, created in 1992, embodied this mission by helping safety-net providers deliver affordable medicines to those in need. While our healthcare institutions strive to serve their communities, this well-intentioned program needs thoughtful reform to better fulfill its sacred purpose.

The program’s growth reflects the expanding healthcare needs of our communities. In 2023, 340B drug discounts reached $125 billion, demonstrating its significant role in our healthcare system. However, without clear guidelines ensuring these savings reach patients directly, we risk missing opportunities to help those most in need access life-saving medications. The complexity of drug pricing and distribution systems often obscures the path between discounts and patient benefits, making it difficult to measure the program’s direct impact on those it aims to serve.

Our healthcare providers face complex challenges in delivering care while maintaining financial stability. Many struggle to balance rising operational costs with their commitment to serving vulnerable populations. Yet as faith leaders, we must ask: How can we better align this program with its original mission of serving the vulnerable? How can we ensure that financial stewardship and patient care work in harmony?

The current system allows for varied interpretation of how 340B savings should be utilized. While many institutions direct these resources toward valuable community health initiatives, there is no standardized requirement for reporting how these funds benefit patients. This lack of uniformity can lead to inconsistent outcomes across different healthcare settings and communities.

Delaware’s congressional delegation—Senator Chris Coons, Senator Lisa Blunt Rochester, and Representative Sarah McBride—can help strengthen this vital program through reforms that:

1. Create transparency in how 340B savings support patient care
2. Ensure discounts help reduce patient medication costs
3. Support hospitals in expanding their charitable care programs
4. Establish clear guidelines for program implementation

As people of faith, we are called to protect the most vulnerable. Our religious traditions teach us that healing and compassionate care are sacred responsibilities. The faith community can play a unique role in this conversation by fostering dialogue between healthcare providers and patients, hosting educational forums about healthcare access, and encouraging constructive engagement with policymakers about improving care delivery.

This isn’t about pointing fingers—it’s about working together to better serve our communities. Healthcare providers, policymakers, and faith leaders can collaborate to ensure the 340B program fulfills its original promise of helping those who cannot help themselves. We must acknowledge that while the program has grown significantly, this growth should be accompanied by enhanced accountability measures that ensure its benefits reach those most in need.

We invite all Delawareans who care about healthcare accessibility to join this important conversation. Contact our congressional delegation to support thoughtful reform that strengthens both our healthcare institutions and their ability to serve those most in need. The time for meaningful change is now, as rising healthcare costs continue to burden our most vulnerable community members.

Through prayer, advocacy, and collaborative action, we can help restore the 340B program’s founding vision of compassionate, accessible healthcare for all. Let us work together to ensure this vital program continues to serve as a beacon of hope for those struggling to access the care they desperately need.

• Pramod Mathur, Hindu author, congregation leader, Hindu Temple of Delaware
• Denise Billen-Mejia MD
• The Rev. Patrick Burke, Episcopal Church of Saints Andrew & Matthew
• Irfan Patel, DE Interfaith Council – Islamic Faith Rep
• Rev Robert P Hall, OSL, President and CEO, Christian Council of Delmarva

Irfan Patel represents the Islamic faith in the Delaware Interfaith Council and is a well known interfaith activist in DE. He is also deeply involved in the rare disease community of DE, serving on the Rare Disease Advisory Council (RDAC) and is also the State Ambassador for Rare Action Network of DE, representing National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD).

Go to Source:https://delawarebusinesstimes.com/news/viewpoint-healthcare-reform-340b/

Author: Guest Writer