DPC Testifies Against HB154 340B Expansion in South Dakota

Today, Domestic Policy Caucus Secretary/Treasurer Kent Kaiser, Ph.D., testified against South Dakota House Bill 154, which would expand the flawed federal 340B drug pricing program in that state, before the House Health & Human Services Committee.

In part, Kaiser testified, "The 340B program has been in existence for about 35 years. So, simply ask your constituents whether they think they enjoy more affordable prescriptions today and more help paying for their copays and coinsurance now as compared to 25 or 30 years ago. Or do they think any benefits meant for them have been diverted into other programs and things. Ask them if they have more drug store options, closer to home, to buy their medicines. Or, does it seem like they have fewer drug store options, and that they have to travel farther from home to get their prescriptions filled? Ask them if they think they receive more personal care from their pharmacy today than they did 25 or 30 years ago. Or do they think their pharmacy is more impersonal and corporate. If you receive generally negative responses to these questions, then you know that the 340B program is not working the way it was intended and that it needs to be reformed on the federal level, way before it is expanded on the state level."

Listen to the full committee hearing here (DPC testimony starts at ~41:55).