On the recordJune 7, 2022
I want to talk a little more about the importance of H.R. 4390, the PROTECT 340B Act of 2021, which was introduced by the gentleman from West Virginia (Mr. McKinley), my friend, and is co-led by the gentlewoman from Virginia (Ms. Spanberger), the lead organizer of this Special Order. Passage of the PROTECT 340B Act of 2021 is essential in order to push back against recent attacks on the 340B program. This bill would prohibit pharmacy benefit managers, otherwise known as PBMs, from discriminating against 340B providers or their contract pharmacies. The PROTECT 340B Act is supported by America's Essential Hospitals, 340B Health, National Association of Community Health Centers, and Ryan White Clinics for 340B Access. To ensure PBMs are held accountable, it allows the HHS Secretary to impose civil monetary penalties. This is the definition of a good bill. It has broad, bipartisan support in the House as well as among outside groups, and it even has an enforcement mechanism that hits the bad actors where it hurts them most--their pocketbooks.
