Press ReleaseBipartisan2026-08-26

Arkansas Healthcare Leaders Praise Boozman-led 340B Legislation

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This press release from Senator John Boozman (R-AR) was published on 2026-08-26 and titled "Arkansas Healthcare Leaders Praise Boozman-led 340B Legislation".

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Arkansas Healthcare Leaders Praise Boozman-led 340B Legislation

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators John Boozman (R-AR), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Tim Kaine (D-VA) and John Hickenlooper (D-CO) - members of the Senate 340B Bipartisan Working Group - recently introduced the SUSTAIN 340B Act to provide greater stability, clarity and transparency in the 340B program. Arkansas healthcare leaders are praising the bipartisan legislation and Boozman's leadership to strengthen the program and ensure it continues to support Natural State patients and healthcare providers. "Arkansas hospitals, clinics and healthcare providers rely on the 340B program to stretch their resources and provide care to more patients, especially in rural and underserved communities. The SUSTAIN 340B Act will strengthen this critical program by providing the clarity and stability Arkansas providers need while preserving their ability to support patients. Our bipartisan effort is carefully crafted to protect this important resource and ensure providers in Arkansas can continue delivering quality care their communities depend on," said Boozman . "The Arkansas Hospital Association applauds Senator Boozman's participation in the working group responsible for introducing the SUSTAIN 340B Act. The benefits our eligible hospitals receive from the 340B program allow them to maintain critical care and access for patients across Arkansas - a vital lifeline given that our state's hospital reimbursement rates rank among the lowest in the nation. By moving away from a rebate model, this legislation helps clarify and protect the original intent of the 340B program, ensuring our hospitals can continue delivering quality care to every Arkansan," said Arkansas Hospital Association CEO President Bo Ryall . "Community health centers across Arkansas rely on the 340B program to stretch limited resources and reinvest those savings into the care and services our patients and communities need. For rural and underserved communities in particular, protecting 340B means protecting access to care. We are deeply grateful to Senator Boozman for his longstanding support of Arkansas's community health centers and his continued commitment to listening to the providers and communities we serve. His leadership, alongside his bipartisan colleagues, reflects the thoughtful collaboration necessary to strengthen 340B while preserving its critical benefits for patients. The SUSTAIN 340B Act is an important step toward providing greater clarity, accountability, and long-term stability while reaffirming the program's fundamental purpose: helping safety-net providers stretch scarce resources to expand access to care. We appreciate Senator Boozman's leadership in working to ensure 340B remains strong and sustainable for the patients and communities who depend on it," said Community Health Centers of Arkansas Chief Executive Officer Lanita S. Shaverd . "Sen. John Boozman has long been a champion for Arkansas patients and the hospitals that serve them, especially in our rural communities. His leadership and steadfast support for meaningful 340B reform will help preserve a program that enables providers like UAMS to expand access to care, invest in critical services, and meet the needs of our most vulnerable patients. UAMS is grateful for Senator Boozman's commitment to protecting the 340B program and ensuring it remains a strong resource for improving the health of Arkansans," said UAMS Chancellor C. Lowry Barnes, M.D . "The 340B program works because it was built around a straightforward idea: extend the reach of healthcare into communities that need it most. At Community Clinic, the benefits of the program through our contract pharmacy partnerships allow us to deliver integrated medical, dental, behavioral health, and pharmacy services to more than 70,000 patients across Arkansas and northeastern Oklahoma. Senator Boozman has long understood what's at stake - for patients and for the health systems that serve them. I'm encouraged that the SUSTAIN 340B Act works to keep the program true to its original intent while bringing the clarity and accountability that will sustain it for years to come," said Community Clinic President CEO Judd Semingson, APRN, MSN, MBA . In 2021, Arkansas was the first state in the nation to enact a law protecting 340B covered entities' ability to use contract pharmacies. Many covered entities participate in the 340B program in Arkansas, including several federally-qualified health centers and 40 hospitals. The program enables these safety-net providers to purchase discounted outpatient medications and use the resulting savings to stretch limited resources, including by providing free or discounted medications, reducing patient's out-of-pocket costs and providing charity care as well as other services for underserved and medically vulnerable patients. Learn more about the SUSTAIN 340B Act here .

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Arkansas Healthcare Leaders Praise Boozman-led 340B Legislation WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators John Boozman (R-AR), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Tim Kaine (D-VA) and John Hickenlooper (D-CO) - members of the Senate 340B Bipartisan Working Group - recently introduced the SUSTAIN 340B Act to provide greater stability, clarity and transparency in the 340B program. Arkansas healthcare leaders are praising the bipartisan legislation and Boozman's leadership to strengthen the program and ensure it continues to support Natural State patients and healthcare providers. "Arkansas hospitals, clinics and healthcare providers rely on the 340B program to stretch their resources and provide care to more patients, especially in rural and underserved communities. The SUSTAIN 340B Act will strengthen this critical program by providing the clarity and stability Arkansas providers need while preserving their ability to support patients. Our bipartisan effort is carefully crafted to protect this important resource and ensure providers in Arkansas can continue delivering quality care their communities depend on," said Boozman . "The Arkansas Hospital Association applauds Senator Boozman's participation in the working group responsible for introducing the SUSTAIN 340B Act. The benefits our eligible hospitals receive from the 340B program allow them to maintain critical care and access for patients across Arkansas - a vital lifeline given that our state's hospital reimbursement rates rank among the lowest in the nation. By moving away from a rebate model, this legislation helps clarify and protect the original intent of the 340B program, ensuring our hospitals can continue delivering quality care to every Arkansan," said Arkansas Hospital Association CEO President Bo Ryall . "Community health centers across Arkansas rely on the 340B program to stretch limited resources and reinvest those savings into the care and services our patients and communities need. For rural and underserved communities in particular, protecting 340B means protecting access to care. We are deeply grateful to Senator Boozman for his longstanding support of Arkansas's community health centers and his continued commitment to listening to the providers and communities we serve. His leadership, alongside his bipartisan colleagues, reflects the thoughtful collaboration necessary to strengthen 340B while preserving its critical benefits for patients. The SUSTAIN 340B Act is an important step toward providing greater clarity, accountability, and long-term stability while reaffirming the program's fundamental purpose: helping safety-net providers stretch scarce resources to expand access to care. We appreciate Senator Boozman's leadership in working to ensure 340B remains strong and sustainable for the patients and communities who depend on it," said Community Health Centers of Arkansas Chief Executive Officer Lanita S. Shaverd . "Sen. John Boozman has long been a champion for Arkansas patients and the hospitals that serve them, especially in our rural communities. His leadership and steadfast support for meaningful 340B reform will help preserve a program that enables providers like UAMS to expand access to care, invest in critical services, and meet the needs of our most vulnerable patients. UAMS is grateful for Senator Boozman's commitment to protecting the 340B program and ensuring it remains a strong resource for improving the health of Arkansans," said UAMS Chancellor C. Lowry Barnes, M.D . "The 340B program works because it was built around a straightforward idea: extend the reach of healthcare into communities that need it most. At Community Clinic, the benefits of the program through our contract pharmacy partnerships allow us to deliver integrated medical, dental, behavioral health, and pharmacy services to more than 70,000 patients across Arkansas and northeastern Oklahoma. Senator Boozman has long understood what's at stake - for patients and for the health systems that serve them. I'm encouraged that the SUSTAIN 340B Act works to keep the program true to its original intent while bringing the clarity and accountability that will sustain it for years to come," said Community Clinic President CEO Judd Semingson, APRN, MSN, MBA . In 2021, Arkansas was the first state in the nation to enact a law protecting 340B covered entities' ability to use contract pharmacies. Many covered entities participate in the 340B program in Arkansas, including several federally-qualified health centers and 40 hospitals. The program enables these safety-net providers to purchase discounted outpatient medications and use the resulting savings to stretch limited resources, including by providing free or discounted medications, reducing patient's out-of-pocket costs and providing charity care as well as other services for underserved and medically vulnerable patients. Learn more about the SUSTAIN 340B Act here .