WASHINGTON (September 26, 2025) — Today, the National Hispanic Council on Aging (NHCOA), the nation’s leading advocate for the health and economic well-being of Hispanic older adults, issued the following statement in response to the introduction of the 340B Affording Care for Communities and Ensuring a Strong Safety-Net Act (340B ACCESS Act):
“Congress created the 340B program so safety-net providers could purchase drugs at steep discounts and use the savings to expand care for low-income patients. But a new analysis from the Congressional Budget Office confirms the program has strayed from that mission.
CBO found that 340B drug purchases soared from $6.6 billion in 2010 to $43.9 billion in 2021, a growth rate nearly five times faster than overall brand-name drug spending. That growth didn’t come from serving more low-income patients, but from hospital consolidation and the proliferation of contract pharmacies. CBO also revealed that the system incentivizes hospitals to prescribe more expensive drugs. That drives up costs for patients and taxpayers alike.
For Hispanic older adults, this failure of accountability deepens health inequities. Our community faces higher rates of chronic diseases like obesity, diabetes, and asthma. Managing these conditions requires reliable access. Managing these conditions requires reliable access to affordable prescriptions. Yet CBO’s analysis shows that 340B hospitals and their contract pharmacies capture discounts while patients still pay inflated copays at the pharmacy counter. Even worse, research finds contract pharmacy growth has concentrated in affluent, white areas and declined in Hispanic neighborhoods.
The 340B ACCESS Act is the reform Hispanic older adults need. It would define who qualifies as a patient so savings reach the people Congress intended, guarantee patients receive savings from discounted drugs, rein in contract pharmacy abuse that drains resources from Latino communities, and require hospitals to show how they spend 340B revenues.
By restoring accountability for safety-net providers and pharmacies, the 340B ACCESS Act will ensure that the program helps low-income patients rather than enriching middlemen. For Hispanic older adults who too often struggle to afford medicines, these reforms would mean lower out-of-pocket costs and improved access to local care.
NHCOA urges Congress to swiftly pass the 340B ACCESS Act. Our nation’s older adults deserve a 340B program that truly helps vulnerable patients.
About NHCOA:
NHCOA is the leading national organization working to improve the lives of Hispanic older adults, their families, and their caregivers. Headquartered in Washington, DC, NHCOA has been a strong voice dedicated to promoting, educating, and advocating for research, policy, and practice in the areas of economic security, health, and housing for Hispanic older adults, families, and caregivers for the last 51 years.
For more information about NHCOA call 202-347-9733 or visit www.NHCOA.org.
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