National Grange Calls For Rural Healthcare To Be Protected

With just a few weeks before the mid-term elections, the National Grange is calling on congressional candidates nationwide to commit to protecting rural healthcare and reforming the federal 340B drug pricing program.

What is the 340B?

"It was basically to assist rural hospitals and clinics to be able to operate with high-cost drugs and underpaying or no-paying patients," said Burton Eller Legislative Director for the National Grange. "So it was an operational intent to keep rural hospitals and clinics on a better financial footing."

Rural Clients Shouldn't Have To Drive Miles & Miles

The Grange noted rural hospitals are under growing financial pressure, while some 340B benefits may not be reaching the communities the program was designed to help. And that, Eller said, is impacting patient care and access to care.

"When you lose a rural hospital or clinic, then that means that the access to care is much tougher," Eller said. "In many areas of rural America, getting five miles may be a little bit of an issue. And when you have to go 150 or 500 for specialty care, by golly, it's just sometimes it's almost impossible to get there physically."

Let's Make Sure The Dollars Are Going To The Right Place

The Grange is urging Congress to protect rural and safety-net providers, close what it calls a dual-eligibility loophole, and increase transparency over how 340B savings are used.

"A rural hospital is a rural hospital, a large urban hospital that seems to be operating in pretty good shape, that doesn't really need these funds, should not be able to receive these funds. And let's call a spade a spade," Eller said. "And if they are a rural referral hospital, it has one little zip code arm out there to a little story and a half clinic somewhere to call themselves rural. Are they really serving rural patients and how many? They certainly aren't serving enough to justify the amount of drugs and the volume of money that they're using under the 340B program. So, Congress, let's just plug this loophole."

Eller added accountability is essential to preserving the program—not weakening it. The campaign is expected to continue as candidates face voters, with the Grange asking lawmakers of both parties to make rural healthcare access a priority. Click Here to read the letter the Grange is sending to lawmakers.

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