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Split at Ohio hearing over SB198: manufacturers call for federal fixes; health centers defend 340B use
Summary
Testimony at a Senate Health Committee hearing on SB198 showed a sharp divide: pharmaceutical manufacturers and employer groups warned that expanding 340B contract pharmacies would drive costs and exploit the program, while federally qualified health centers and their lawyers said the bill narrowly protects grantees and restores pre‑2020 delivery rights; many witnesses urged transparency measures.
A lengthy hearing on Senate Bill 198 drew competing testimony about the 340B drug‑discount program, with industry groups, manufacturers and employer representatives arguing the program has been exploited and needs federal reform, and health‑center advocates warning that restrictions now in manufacturer practice reduce access for vulnerable patients.
Kip Snyder, who identified himself as State Policy lead for PhRMA, testified in opposition, calling the 340B program “very broken” and arguing that state mandates expanding contract‑pharmacy access would lock in opportunities for exploitation. Snyder framed the program’s growth as dramatic: he told the committee the program is now a roughly "$66,000,000,000" federal program and said contract‑pharmacy arrangements grew from about 2,300 in 2010 to "over 205,000" last year. He warned that state laws requiring…
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