Murray Statement on Trump Administration Move to Slash Medicare Payments to Hospitals Providing Care to Low-Income Patients

Last month, Murray joined a bipartisan group of Senators warning the Trump Administration that cuts to 340B program would “strain already scarce resources” – LINK

(Washington, D.C.) – Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Ranking Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, issued the following statement on the final rule from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) drastically reducing resources for the Health Resources and Services Administration’s (HRSA) 340B drug pricing program.

Under the guise of reducing drug prices, Wednesday’s final rule by CMS actually reduces the reimbursement for drugs purchased by most 340B eligible hospitals by 22.5%, resulting in less funding for safety net providers to provide critical services to low-income and vulnerable patients.

“This is like handing someone a wet towel in a thunderstorm—it’s not a solution and actually makes things worse,” said Senator Murray. “Skyrocketing drug prices are an urgent problem, and the Administration should focus on real solutions that bring the price of drugs down, instead of cutting Medicare payments to safety net providers that provide care to low-income and vulnerable patients.” 

Last month, Murray and a bipartisan group of Senators wrote to the Trump Administration echoing many of the concerns shared by hospitals and patients groups that cuts to 340B would reduce their ability to provide health care services to vulnerable communities, particularly rural areas, decrease the number of patients they overall serve, and result in significant losses in uncompensated care.

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