New Research on Charity Care and the 340B Program From the Health Equity Collaborative

WASHINGTON, October 22, 2024 (Newswire.com) - Today, the Health Equity Collaborative (HEC), a diverse community comprised of dozens of national, public health, patient advocacy, and multicultural organizations committed to supporting equity and combating disparities experienced by underserved communities, published a new research paper that reviews the history and current state of charity care in the United States and outlines several policy reforms to ensure underserved populations can receive the care they need. 

The paper expands on policy priorities HEC outlined in their Health Equity Guidelines Letter to the 118^th Congress and President Biden earlier this year. 

"The charity care system is a patchwork quilt of varying standards and eligibility requirements, leaving many vulnerable communities without access to essential healthcare. We need a more equitable and sustainable model that prioritizes patient needs, regardless of their ability to pay," said Amy Hinojosa, President and CEO of MANA, A National Latina Organization. 

The paper identifies several opportunities for policymakers to reform the current charity care system:

• Require Additional Transparency Over Hospital Billing, Charity Care Programs & Medical Debt Collection Practices
• Enforce Transparency Requirements to Address Hospital Noncompliance 
• Create a National Standard for Charity Care
• Reform the 340B Drug Pricing Program

In the months ahead, the Health Equity Collaborative will publish additional research and continue to lead discussions with key healthcare stakeholders about realizing progress for diverse communities. 

Read the full paper here. 

To learn more about the Health Equity Collaborative, please visit our website at https://healthequitycollaborative.org. 

For media inquiries, please contact [email protected].    

Source: Health Equity Collaborative