NRHA sends letter to leadership on 340B Drug Pricing Program
PRESS RELEASE
National Rural Health Association
November 10, 2026
On November 9, 2026, the National Rural Health Association (NRHA) sent a letter to congressional leadership, urging them to enact 340B reform to preserve the intent of the 340B Drug Pricing Program.
The 340B Program provides essential savings on outpatient drugs for rural providers serving vulnerable populations.
For many rural safety-net hospitals and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) operating on thin financial margins, savings generated through 340B are critical to maintaining operations and providing essential services.
The 340B Drug Pricing Program serves as a lifeline for rural hospitals, clinics, and health centers; these providers depend on the program to keep their doors open and stretch scarce federal resources.
In the letter to leadership, NRHA emphasizes protecting rural access to 340B and offers recommendations to preserve the program.
NRHA voices support for the following:
- Relief from the orphan drug exclusion for rural hospitals.
- Contract pharmacy protections.
- Maintaining upfront discount pricing and prohibiting rebate models.
- Clear statutory restrictions on pharmacy benefit managers' (PBMs) and payers' ability to treat 340B participants differently.
- Restrictions to prevent abuses from withholding program savings inconsistent with the intent of the law.
- Codifying HRSA's current child site guidance in the 340B statute.
- Codifying HRSA's 1996 definition of a patient in the 340B statute to provide clarity.
NRHA looks forward to working with Congress to see 340B reform move forward in a way that benefits rural patients and the providers who care for them.
For more information on NRHA's 340B policy priorities and previous letters to Congress and the Administration, see NRHA's 340B Drug Pricing Program page. For any questions on the letter or the 340B Program’s impact on rural providers, please contact Alexa Mckinley Abel.
Your chance to meet with a new Congress and hear from the administration about the future of the 340B Drug Discount Program is at NRHA’s 38th Rural Health Policy Institute Feb. 9-11 in D.C.