ADAP Advocacy has published two new infographics examining the relationship between the 340B Drug Pricing Program and medical debt in the United States. The infographics, part of the organization's "340B Too Big to Fail" advocacy campaign, reveal troubling disparities between the program's original intent and its current impact on patient finances.
The first infographic, "340B Too Big to Fail – Medical Debt – Part 1," demonstrates how the 340B program was designed to help low-income patients access healthcare services. Despite the program growing to $66 billion in size, primarily benefiting hospitals, medical debt continues to burden many Americans. Most concerning is that the majority of this debt is owed to hospitals that qualify for 340B program participation.
The second infographic, "340B Too Big to Fail – Medical Debt – Part 2," documents how many 340B-participating hospitals employ aggressive, predatory debt collection practices that often damage consumer credit reports. These hospitals are choosing not to set reasonable prices or offer robust financial assistance programs, instead opting to sue patients rather than provide free charity care as required by law.
The infographic series is available for download at https://www.adapadvocacy.org/publications.html#i and serves as part of ADAP Advocacy's ongoing national campaign questioning whether the 340B Drug Pricing Program has become "too big to fail." The organization's findings suggest that while the program has expanded significantly, its benefits are not adequately reaching the patients it was designed to serve, resulting in continued financial hardship for vulnerable populations.
This publication comes at a critical time when medical debt remains a leading cause of bankruptcy in the United States, raising important questions about the accountability and oversight of federal healthcare programs. The infographics provide visual evidence of systemic issues within the 340B program that warrant further examination by policymakers and healthcare advocates. The implications extend beyond individual patient suffering to broader concerns about whether a major federal program intended to help vulnerable Americans is instead contributing to their financial ruin through institutional practices that prioritize revenue over patient protection.
The disconnect between the 340B program's expansion and the persistence of medical debt suggests structural flaws in how benefits are distributed and monitored. As hospitals benefit from discounted drug prices through the program, many continue to pursue aggressive collection tactics against the very patients the program was designed to protect. This raises fundamental questions about program integrity and whether current oversight mechanisms are sufficient to ensure compliance with both the letter and spirit of the law.
The timing of these findings is particularly significant as policymakers consider healthcare reforms and debt relief initiatives. The visual documentation provided by ADAP Advocacy offers concrete evidence that could inform legislative and regulatory actions aimed at realigning the 340B program with its original mission of serving vulnerable populations without imposing financial harm.
