Georgia has earned its reputation as "the best state in the country in which to do business." But proposals to expand a little-known federal program called 340B threaten that status by inflating health care costs for Georgia employers, workers and patients.
In Georgia, 340B is costing employers and workers $187 million annually in higher health care costs. If Georgia passes legislation mandating contract pharmacies, this cost will increase to $209 million, money that could otherwise be invested in growing businesses and creating jobs.
We must stop allowing hospitals and profit-seeking middlemen like PBMs, pharmacies and private equity firms to exploit this program instead of helping low-income and uninsured patients.
Join us today and send a letter to your state lawmakers urging them to oppose policies that would expand 340B and drive-up costs for Georgia businesses, workers and patients.
Dear GA Legislator,
As your constituent and a supporter of Georgia's pro-business environment, I urge you to oppose policies that would expand the broken 340B program and threaten our state's reputation as "the best state in the country in which to do business."
The federal 340B program is driving up health care costs for Georgia employers, workers and patients. Big, tax-exempt hospitals and clinics are abusing this little-known federal safety-net program to charge markups on medicines—which can be as high as 7x or more—to boost their profits.
The numbers are staggering:
- The 340B program directly increases costs for employers by an estimated 4.2%, or $5.2 billion, per year due to reduced rebates from manufacturers.
- 340B is costing Georgia employers and workers $187 million annually in higher health care costs.
- If Georgia passes legislation mandating contract pharmacies, this cost will increase to $209 million.
Because the 340B program has no transparency or guardrails on how hospitals and clinics use 340B profits, the money often isn't going to help low-income and uninsured patients access medicines. Instead, profit-seeking companies, including pharmacies, PBMs, and private equity firms, are flooding the program to increase their bottom line while Georgia businesses, workers and patients foot the bill.
I urge you to stand against policies that expand 340B. Help keep Georgia the best state in the country to do business by opposing 340B expansion and holding 340B hospitals and clinics accountable for their greedy behavior.
Thank you for your leadership in maintaining Georgia's pro-business environment and supporting patients.
Sincerely,
[Signatory Name]
