Frankfort, KY – March 14, 2024 – Across Kentucky, healthcare leaders and pharmacists urge support for Senate Bill 27 and Senate Bill 188, critical in safeguarding affordable medications for over 600,000 low-income and vulnerable Kentuckians, who rely on Community Health Centers (CHCs). These centers are lifelines in our communities, providing necessary care regardless of one’s ability to pay. The proposed bills challenge the rising control of Big Pharma and ensure that lifesaving drugs remain accessible and affordable.
In 2022, 29 community health center organizations in Kentucky extended essential healthcare services, leveraging the federal 340B Drug Pricing Program to stretch federal resources, ensuring low-income patients can receive comprehensive services without additional burden on taxpayers. The 340B program enables these centers to offer discounted medicines crucial for treating conditions like diabetes, asthma, and heart disease. With this program, critical medications would be affordable for more than 80% of CHC patients in Kentucky. Further, CHC’s are required to reinvest 100% of their pharmacy savings back into the centers and services provided. 
“For many years now, big pharma and pharmacy benefit managers have done whatever they wanted if it makes them money, including taking from community health centers and the patients we serve,” stated Dr. Bart Irwin, CEO of the Family Health Centers in Louisville. “Together with other community health centers in Kentucky, we are fighting for our patients’ access to their medications and fair contracts for our pharmacies. Senate Bills 27 and 188 will help us in that fight.”
Senate Bill 27 aims to ensure affordable prescription access across Kentucky, challenging the refusal of major pharmaceutical companies to honor 340B pricing agreements with contracted pharmacies. This move is critical, especially for residents in pharmacy-scarce regions and rural areas, enhancing medication accessibility without additional state or federal funding.
Senate Bill 188 focuses on preserving patient pharmacy choice, mandating fair contracting and reimbursement practices among PBMs, and setting a reimbursement rate floor to prevent financial undercutting. This bill is designed to stop PBMs from exploiting systemic loopholes at the expense of Community Health Centers (CHCs) and their patients.
“We are seeing more and more pharmacies closing in Kentucky because of the unfair practices by pharmacy benefit managers and other bad actors,” stated Dr. Michael Lin, Chief of Pharmacy Operations for the Family Health Centers. “We need to put patients before the profits of these big corporations, and these bills will help Kentucky do that.”
The vitality of Kentucky’s healthcare, especially in underserved areas, depends on the 340B program. Contract pharmacies play a pivotal role, especially in areas facing pharmacy deserts due to the closures of local pharmacies, providing crucial access points for discounted medications. With the protections offered by these bills, CHCs can avoid the dire possibility of service reductions and workforce cuts, significantly impacting healthcare access in Kentucky.
These bills are not just about healthcare but about fairness, community well-being, and standing up against corporate greed. Your support can ensure that Kentucky’s most vulnerable populations continue to have access to the healthcare they desperately need.
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Family Health Centers, Inc. (FHC) is a not-for-profit, federally qualified health center that provides access to high-quality primary and preventive health care services regardless of the ability to pay. Established in 1976, FHC offers services to over 38,000 individuals annually through a network of nine health center locations throughout Louisville Metro. Learn more at www.fhclouisville.org.