Aloha State News

There are 15 Hawaii hospitals participating in the federal 340B Drug Pricing Program.

This program is a federal initiative that enables eligible hospitals and healthcare organizations to purchase outpatient medications at significantly discounted prices.

Established in 1992, the program aims to provide financial relief to healthcare providers serving vulnerable populations, allowing them to stretch their scarce resources and reach more eligible patients.

Hospitals participating in the 340B program can use the savings to fund essential services and programs, such as free or low-cost medication assistance, expanded access to healthcare, and community outreach initiatives.

Participating hospitals, however, "often extend their 340B discounts to clinics in well-off communities, where they can charge privately insured patients more than those on Medicaid,” reported the Wall Street Journal.

"In some cases, the program appears to be bolstering profits in well-off areas more than it is underwriting services in less-privileged neighborhoods,” said the Journal article.

U.S. Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) introduced a bill in 2023 that he said would ensure "that organizations are transparent about how they use resources from” the 340B program.

"The 340B Drug Pricing Program is supposed to help low-income and uninsured Americans afford their medicine, but some are taking advantage of the program at the expense of vulnerable patients,” said Kennedy.

Hospital	City
Adventist Health Castle	Kailua
Hilo Medical Center	Hilo
Kahuku Medical Center	Kahuku
Kapiolani Medical Center for Women & Children	Honolulu
Kau Hospital	Pahala
Kauai Veterans Memorial Hospital	Waimea Kauai
Kona Community Hospital	Kealakekua
Maui Memorial Medical Center	Wailuku
Molokai General Hospital	Kaunakakai
North Hawaii Community Hospital	Kamuela
Pali Momi Medical Center	Aiea
Samuel Mahelona Memorial Hospital	Kapaa Kauai
Straub Clinic & Hospital	Honolulu
The Queen's Medical Center	Honolulu
Wilcox Memorial Hospital	Lihue