Committee advances bill protecting 340B contract‑pharmacy access; transparency measure on 340B laid over for further action

Two 340B‑related bills dominated the committee’s late‑night session: Senate Bill 71, aimed at preserving covered entities’ access to contract pharmacies and stopping manufacturers from restricting delivery, and Senate Bill 124, a separate measure that would require detailed reporting and limit how 340B savings may be used for patient‑level out‑of‑pocket reductions and charity care.

On SB 71, hospitals, rural clinics, community health centers and many contracted pharmacies told the committee that recent manufacturer restrictions on contract pharmacies have reduced patients’ local access to discounted medications and strained rural providers’ finances. Donald Moore of Pueblo Community Health Center said his clinic lost $1.7 million since 2022 because of manufacturer restrictions and that 3‑40B savings had allowed the health center to open a regional clinic and maintain reduced co‑payments for uninsured patients.

Proponents argued the federal 340B statute…