For Coloradans living with cancer, access to their physician isn’t just a convenience, it’s a cornerstone of a functioning health care system. When a small private practice or clinic is bought out, consolidated and shut down, a patient battling chronic illnesses is left with fewer options, longer drives and worsening outcomes. Now, our lawmakers are considering legislation that would only accelerate the closing of these practices, and in turn, placing a greater burden on the most vulnerable Coloradans.
Unfortunately, a federal safety net program, the 340B Drug Pricing Program, has contributed to the increasing consolidation of health care, which jeopardizes private physician practices and the patients they serve here in Colorado. Big hospitals, often referred to as 340B covered entities, such as disproportionate share hospitals, gain an advantage by purchasing medications at a 20% to 50% discount through their 340B status, creating a revenue and cash flow advantage that small and local physician practices such as outpatient clinics cannot compete with.
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