Over a little more than a decade, spending on the federal 340B drug program rose to $43.9 billion in 2021, according to a new report from the Congressional Budget Office. The program’s spending has risen more than six-fold since 2010, when it was $6.6 billion, the report states. Spending increased by an average of 19% annually, according to the Congressional Budget Office, a nonpartisan research arm of Congress. The 340B program allows hospitals to purchase some outpatient drugs, including cancer medications, at lower prices. Hospitals say the program is vital to support patient care and maintain essential services in vulnerable communities, but critics say the program has grown beyond its initial purpose of helping hospitals with a high percentage of patients with lower incomes.
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Source: https://www.chiefhealthcareexecutive.com/view/spending-on-340b-drug-program-rose-to-43-9b-in-2021-cbo-says