WASHINGTON, DC (September 10, 2025) – Today, Jen Laws, President & CEO of Community Access National Network, released the following statement in response to the latest Congressional Budget Office (CBO) report analyzing the unchecked growth of the 340B Federal Drug Discount Program:
“Today’s CBO report mirrors what CANN has been shouting from the rooftops for years: the 340B program is mired with abuse and is in desperate need of reform. We support a strong 340B program working as intended to help community clinics, including Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), serve vulnerable communities. Sadly, FQHCs comprise only 13% of 340B purchases, whereas large, corporatized hospitals represent 87% of all program spending. The CBO report confirmed the 340B program ‘encourages behaviors that tend to increase federal spending.’
“The spending in question skyrocketed from $6.6 billion to $43.9 billion between 2010 and 2021, yet the significant increase did not translate into increased services for patients living with HIV, hepatitis C, or cancer in safety-net settings. Instead, the program’s lack of guardrails enables bad actors to take advantage of loopholes that automatically allow acquired clinics to become eligible for 340B discounts, regardless of the actual patient population served. Several investigations, notably the New York Times investigation on Bon Secours Mercy Health, attest to this phenomenon. Instead of reinvesting into the lower-income community of the clinic Bon Secours acquired, the health giant funneled money into wealthier areas, leaving vulnerable patients in the dust. Shortly after the investigation was published, CANN launched the 340B: What About Me? campaign to raise awareness of these issues and push policymakers to prioritize patient care rather than protect executive pay increases.
“At the end of the day, this report confirms what we knew all along – that we need Congressional oversight of a multi-billion-dollar federal program to ensure it is working for patients as intended.”
For general information and media inquiries, please contact press@tiicann.org.
About Community Access National Network: The mission of the Community Access National Network (CANN) is to define, promote, and improve access to healthcare services and supports for people living with HIV/AIDS and/or Viral Hepatitis through advocacy, education, and networking. These services must be affordable to the people who need them regardless of insurance status, income, or geographic location.