At HEAL Collaborative, we deliver free community health programs across multiple disease areas to underserved communities. But education alone cannot remove every barrier our patients face.
These are shaped by policy:
- Access to affordable medicines
- Sustainable safety-net providers
- Equitable systems of care
- Access to treatments
When harmful policies impact our communities, we step forward — because protecting access is part of our mission.
Our policy engagement efforts focus on advancing health access and improving the quality of care for the communities we serve. We educate community members on key policies and legislation that directly impact patients and families, while creating opportunities for meaningful dialogue with local elected officials and decision-makers. Through advocacy, community engagement, and collective action, we help amplify the voices of those most affected by health disparities. We also actively support policies and legislation, such as biomarker testing and the 340B Drug Pricing Program, that lead to better health outcomes, greater equity, and stronger support systems for patients.
2025 Programs at a Glance
Key Issues
340B
What is the 340B Drug Pricing Program?
Congress created the 340B Drug Pricing Program more than 30 years ago to help low-income and vulnerable patients access medicines at safety-net facilities. Under the program, hospitals and community health centers can purchase prescription drugs at deep discounts, with the intent that those savings directly benefit the patients who rely on them.
Why It Matters
While some safety-net providers, such as community health centers, use 340B savings to lower patients’ out-of-pocket costs, many large hospital systems retain the savings without clearly passing them along to the patients the program was designed to serve.
That’s why we urge Congress to strengthen and modernize the 340B program — ensuring that its benefits reach low-income patients, verifying that it serves true safety-net providers, and increasing accountability across the program.
Resources
- Congress Must Fix 340B
- The 340B ACCESS Act: Comprehensive Reform to help Patients and Underserved Communities
- The 340B Program’s Cost to the States
- Broad Support for Comprehensive Federal 340B Reform: Sign-on Letter to the House and Senate
- HEAL on the Hill Video Series
ANALYSIS: The 340B Drug Pricing Program By State: How Covered Entities are Failing to Invest in Patient Care
Our recent state-level analysis reveals that 340B hospitals increased their assets per bed by 40% between 2014 and 2022, while uncompensated care spending per bed decreased by 15%. Despite billions in discounted drug revenue intended to support vulnerable populations, most hospitals prioritized growing their financial reserves over expanding charity care.
Biomarker Testing
What is Biomarker Testing?
Biomarker testing is a tool that helps doctors determine the most effective treatment for a patient. By analyzing a sample of blood, tissue, or another biospecimen, clinicians can identify specific biological markers that provide important information about a disease and how it may respond to certain therapies.
Why It Matters
Biomarker testing is a cornerstone of precision medicine. It helps ensure patients receive the right treatment at the right time — particularly in cancer care, where many therapies now depend on identifying specific biomarkers before treatment begins. Expanding access to appropriate biomarker testing can improve outcomes, enhance quality of life, and reduce unnecessary or ineffective treatments.
Resources
Health Policy Events
Join the Conversation
From State Spending to the Medicine Cabinet: Unlocking 340B Insights That Shape Patient Costs and Care
Lung Cancer Screening to Treatment 2.0
June 27 | St. Louis, MO | In-person or Virtual
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July 18 | Birmingham, AL | In-person or Virtual
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July 25 | Philadelphia, PA | In-person or Virtual
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