DPC Urges North Dakota Legislators to Oppose HB1473 Expansion of 340B Program

The Domestic Policy Caucus today wrote to members of the North Dakota House of Representatives Committee on Industry, Business, and Labor to urge rejection of House Bill 1473, which would expand the 340B drug pricing program in the state.

In the letter, DPC Secretary/Treasurer Kent Kaiser, Ph.D., wrote, "Haven’t the likes of Walmart and Walgreens done enough to harm main streets across North Dakota? An expansion of 340B would create an economic environment in which incentives would be put in place to encourage even more consolidation of healthcare systems, to put healthcare farther out of reach of rural North Dakotans, and to imperil the ability of underserved residents to receive the medications they need, all while lining the pockets of big healthcare systems and giant chain pharmacies. Meanwhile, it would do nothing to reduce healthcare costs, which is what everyone really wants. Indeed, it probably would actually increase costs while resulting in poorer health outcomes."

Read the full letter here.