In courtrooms and congressional hearing rooms, drug companies and health care providers are waging a pitched battle over a federal program that allows hospitals and health centers to access steeply discounted drugs in exchange for serving low-income populations.
340B, named for the section of the law that established the program in 1992, hasn’t always been controversial. But in recent years, drug companies have complained it has grown too large and beyond its original intent of helping safety net providers. In response, drug companies have thrown up obstacles to participating and filed a dozen lawsuits challenging the program.
On Tuesday, the fight moves to the House Energy and Commerce Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee, which has scheduled a hearing on the issue.
