Chicago Rally Highlights Statewide Importance of 340B Drug Discount Program

SPRINGFIELD -- Patients, healthcare providers and community leaders from across Illinois gathered March 1 at Chicago State University to celebrate the impact of the federal 340B Drug Pricing Program and renew calls for state lawmakers to protect the initiative through pending legislation.

The event, part of the 340B Saves Lives ACTION Day, brought together safety-net hospitals, community health centers and patient advocates who said the program plays a critical role in keeping medications affordable and healthcare services available for vulnerable populations statewide.

Created by Congress in 1992, the 340B program allows eligible hospitals and community health centers to purchase prescription medications at significantly reduced prices. Providers reinvest those savings into services such as cancer treatment, chronic disease management, behavioral health care, maternal health programs and expanded clinic access.

Advocates say the program is especially important in Illinois, where community health centers and safety-net hospitals serve hundreds of thousands of patients in urban, suburban and rural communities.

Patient advocate Perla Herrera told attendees that the program has helped her maintain access to life-saving medications.

“340B affords me the ability to get life-sustaining medications, to have a better quality of life and a healthy life overall,” Herrera said during the rally.

Healthcare leaders warned that recent restrictions imposed by pharmaceutical manufacturers on how discounted medications can be distributed have reduced savings for some hospitals and clinics, threatening programs that patients rely on.

Dr. James Brooks, CEO of Lawndale Christian Health Center, said providers across Illinois are united in their support for protecting the program.

“Community health centers and safety-net hospitals all stand together and want to protect 340B,” Brooks said, urging Illinois lawmakers to advance legislation designed to safeguard the system.

That legislation, House Bill 2371, would prevent pharmaceutical manufacturers from interfering with pharmacy partnerships used by hospitals and clinics to dispense 340B medications. Supporters say the bill would restore long-standing practices that allow patients to access prescriptions through local pharmacies in their communities.

State Rep. Anna Moeller, the bill’s sponsor, said the proposal is about protecting access to essential care.

“Access to affordable medication is not a luxury — it’s a lifeline,” Moeller said.

Organizers said the rally served both as a celebration of the program’s impact and a call to action for policymakers in Springfield. As healthcare costs continue to rise and communities face growing economic pressures, advocates say protecting 340B will help ensure that patients across Illinois can continue receiving affordable medications and critical healthcare services close to home.