You may have seen misleading ads about 340B expansion targeting state legislators, including our own Sen. Tim Reed. These ads completely misrepresent the importance of the 340B program to rural healthcare in South Dakota.

This program is a lifeline for rural hospitals, helping them generate savings to maintain essential services like obstetrics, surgery, and ambulance transportation, especially in underserved areas. It is also crucial for rural pharmacies and the patients who rely on them.

Senate Bill 154, sponsored by Reed, ensures that big pharma follow existing 340B rules, keeping funds available to strengthen rural healthcare. The bill will help rural pharmacies stay open and continue providing vital services. It passed the South Dakota Senate by a vote of 30-3 and the House by 65-5, showing that the Legislature was not swayed by big pharma's fearmongering tactics.

The 340B program is not taxpayer-funded. It requires drug companies participating in Medicare to sell medications to eligible providers at discounted rates. It’s no surprise that big pharmaceutical companies oppose this program because it reduces their profit margins. However, 340B is essential to ensuring patients in South Dakota communities have access to affordable medications and that local hospitals can continue delivering critical healthcare services without excessive costs.

South Dakota's 40 critical access hospitals struggle to keep their doors open while providing much-needed services in small communities. The 340B program supports these hospitals, allowing them to maintain and expand their services, ensuring health care remains accessible and affordable close to home. Expanding 340B means more patients can get the medications they need. I urge our state legislators to stand firm in their support of the 340B program and resist pressure from large pharmaceutical companies. I also encourage my fellow South Dakotans to look beyond misleading claims and recognize the critical role 340B plays in protecting rural healthcare.