{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://dustyjohnson.house.gov/media/press-releases/johnson-spanberger-introduce-bipartisan-bill-protect-340b-program-prevent", "Johnson, Spanberger Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Protect 340B Program, Prevent Higher Drug Prices", "2023-04-06", "2023", "2023-04", "Republican", "House", "SD", "Dusty Johnson", "J000301", "dustyjohnson.house.gov", "dustyjohnson", "https://dustyjohnson.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Representatives Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) and Abigail Spanberger (D-VA-07) introduced a bipartisan bill that would prohibit health insurers and PBMs from discriminating against 340B Drug Pricing Program providers or their contract pharmacies on the basis of their status as providers or pharmacies that dispense 340B drugs.\n\nThe Preserving Rules Ordered for the Entities Covered Through (PROTECT) 340B Act addresses concerns from healthcare providers in South Dakota and across the country \u2014 particularly in rural areas \u2014 that have seen their access to the program threatened bypharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), insurers, and pharmaceutical companies. Specifically, the Spanberger-Johnson legislation would prevent companies from treating 340B providers differently with regards to reimbursement of fees, participation in standard or preferred networks, or inventory management systems \u2014 and it would block them from interfering in a patient\u2019s choice to receive drugs from a 340B pharmacy.\n\n\u201c340B is an essential program for rural and low-income hospitals and patients,\u201d said Johnson. \u201cSouth Dakotans rely on this program to access affordable drugs and medicines they need. The PROTECT 340B Act will ensure the quality of care for communities that need it.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe 340B Program lowers prescription drug costs and saves money for seniors and families, especially those in rural and underserved communities. But in recent years, we\u2019ve seen for-profit insurance companies and the shadowy middlemen of the pharmaceutical industry \u2014 known as pharmacy benefit managers \u2014 undermine these discounts, target 340B providers, and threaten the very survival of this program,\u201d said Spanberger. \u201cThe PROTECT 340B Act would hold these actors accountable for trying to take away the savings of American consumers. I want to thank my colleague Congressman Johnson for his partnership on this issue, and we\u2019ll keep working to level the playing field for 340B pharmacies and providers, maintain access to discounted medications, and protect the financial security of patients in Virginia and across the country.\u201d\n\n\"The Community HealthCare Association of the Dakotas appreciates Representative Johnson\u2019s strong support for the 340B program and his leadership in introducing the Protect 340B Act. The 340B program enables community health centers across the state to provide life-saving medications to our patients at lower costs. As prescription drug costs put pressure on the budgets of so many South Dakota families, Representative Johnson is responding with solutions that will make a difference,\u201d said Shelly Ten Napel, CEO of Community HealthCare Association of the Dakotas.\n\n\u201cAvera Health commends Representative Johnson for his efforts to protect 340B hospitals and patients who rely on them for care. Avera is a nonprofit health system with 30 hospitals in the 340B program serving patients in need in South Dakota, Iowa, Minnesota and Nebraska. Without access to our critical, specialized services and support funded by 340B, many patients unable to travel to reach the next nearest healthcare facility offering such care would be negatively impacted. This bipartisan legislation is important because it would help ensure 340B resources are directed towards patients in need of this comprehensive care in their communities. On behalf of those patients, we thank these 340B champions for their leadership on this issue,\u201d said Melissa Goff, Vice President of Pharmacy at Avera.\n\n\u201c340B hospitals applaud Representatives Johnson and Spanberger for their strong leadership to protect safety-net providers from discriminatory payment behavior by pharmacy benefit managers and insurance companies. 340B savings provide crucial resources to hospitals and other providers caring for patients with low incomes and those living in rural communities. PBMs and payers undermine that investment in patient care when they pay less to covered entities based solely on their participation in 340B. This bipartisan legislation would ensure that those 340B dollars go to care for patients of the health care safety net as Congress intended and not into more profits for PBMs and insurers,\u201d said Maureen Testoni, 340B Health President and CEO.\n\n\u201cEssential hospitals thank Reps. Johnson and Spanberger for introducing the PROTECT 340B Act. The 340B program is vital to millions of low-income patients and our nation\u2019s health care safety net. We call on Congress to defend the 340B program against drug industry attacks by passing this important legislation,\u201d said Dr. Bruce Siegel, President & CEO, America\u2019s Essential Hospitals.\n\n\u201cWith sixty percent of Sanford Health patients living in rural areas, 340B provides crucial support. Sanford Health relies on 340B to stretch scarce healthcare dollars, increasing our ability to support critical health services in our communities. Protection of the program allows us to maintain access and invest in care delivery in our communities. We are thankful for Representative Johnson\u2019s support to this essential program,\u201d said Corey Brown, System Vice President Government Relations, Sanford.\n\n\u201cThe South Dakota Association of Healthcare Organizations appreciates Congressman Johnson and his efforts in supporting protections for hospitals and providers through the PROTECT 340B Act. This proposed legislation, should it become law will assure access to healthcare Services in South Dakota, benefiting patients and our members statewide,\u201d said Tim Rave, President and CEO, SDAHO.\n\nClick here to read the full bill text.\n\nBackground:\n\nThe 340B Drug Pricing Program was enacted by Congress in 1992 with bipartisan support and is overseen by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The program requires that pharmaceutical companies give safety-net and rural healthcare providers discounts on their drugs, in exchange for having their drugs covered by Medicaid.\n\nThe program has a demonstrated record of protecting patients who are low-income, live in underserved communities, or suffer from serious chronic illnesses from the threat of skyrocketing prices for the drugs they depend on the most.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T23:44:29Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://dustyjohnson.house.gov/media/press-releases/johnson-spanberger-introduce-bipartisan-bill-protect-340b-program-prevent"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.9244139548391104, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}