November 8, 2013—The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has announced $150 million in awards to support 236 new community health center sites in 43 states. [ms-protect-content id=”2799″]
Currently, there are about 1,200 health centers that operate more than 9,000 service delivery sites. They provide care to over 21 million patients. The new funding, part of the Affordable Care Act, is expected to enable centers to care for an additional 1.25 million patients.
Health centers are among the categories of covered entities eligible to participate in the 340B program. The Office of Pharmacy Affairs (OPA) lists about 5,500 health center sites in its 340B covered entity database.
A 2011 survey by the National Association of Community Health Centers found that 93 percent of its members that participate in 340B said the program provides increased access to prescription drugs for their patients. 340B drug discounts, they said, enhance their ability to serve the uninsured or underinsured (98 percent), to maintain an adequate supply of inventory to meet patient demand (64 percent), and to increase the total number of patients receiving pharmacy services (60 percent).
“We are committed to providing more people across the country with the quality patient-centered care they deserve,” HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said in announcing the awards. “Health centers are key partners in improving access to quality, affordable health care services for those who need it most.” [/ms-protect-content]