ADAP Advocacy has published an infographic examining declining charity care provided by hospitals participating in the 340B Drug Pricing Program. The infographic, part of the organization's 340B Project, reveals that charity care requirements for hospitals to provide free care and financial aid to poor patients are not being met, with charity care declining year after year. The data shows patients owe at least $220 billion in medical debt, with nearly 75% of that debt owed directly to hospitals. Black and Hispanic communities are disproportionately impacted by this trend, bearing a greater burden of medical debt despite the 340B program's intended benefits for underserved populations.
The infographic complements a recently released commercial and is part of ADAP Advocacy's ongoing national advocacy campaign titled "Is the 340B Drug Pricing Program the Next 'Too Big to Fail'?" The organization's 340B Project focuses on examining the program's implementation and its effects on patient care. The visual resource, titled "340B Too Big to Fail – Charity Care," can be accessed through ADAP Advocacy's publications page. This release comes amid growing scrutiny of the 340B program, which allows qualifying hospitals and clinics to purchase outpatient drugs at discounted prices.
The program was originally designed to help safety-net providers stretch resources to serve more low-income patients, but critics argue some participating hospitals are not passing along sufficient savings to patients in need. The declining charity care documented in the infographic raises questions about whether the program is achieving its intended purpose of supporting vulnerable populations. With medical debt reaching unprecedented levels and minority communities disproportionately affected, the findings suggest systemic issues in how hospitals implement charity care policies under the 340B framework.
ADAP Advocacy works with various stakeholders including advocates, community organizations, healthcare providers, government agencies, patients, and pharmaceutical companies to raise awareness about healthcare access issues. The organization's educational programs and advocacy efforts aim to foster greater community collaboration around improving healthcare systems for underserved populations. The organization's mission centers on promoting and enhancing AIDS Drug Assistance Programs and improving access to care for persons living with HIV/AIDS.
