New York patients, not hospitals, should benefit from the 340B Program
(New York) February 10, 2026- On behalf of the thousands of members in our church community, who we serve every day, we are writing to demand that S.1913, the 340B Prescription Drug Discrimination Act, never see the light of day.
The 340B Drug Pricing Program is a federal program that was designed to help needy patients afford their medicines by having hospitals buy them at huge discounts under the agreement that those hospitals pass along the savings to patients as well as fund programs in underserved communities.
Unfortunately, the program is only benefiting hospitals to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars.
To make matters worse, there is no oversight of the program, and no requirement for the hospitals to report how much of the money they are really giving to needy New Yorkers.
Now, adding insult to injury, some Albany lawmakers are pushing a bill that would expand the program and would allow hospitals to make more money from the 340B program. The bill also says nothing about forcing the hospitals to do the right thing, and reveal to what extent they are helping, or not helping, community organizations and needy New Yorkers.
That’s right S.1913 would allow hospitals to pocket more money and still have no accountability.
Before any consideration should be given to unfettered expansion of this lucrative program, we need a mechanism of transparency and accountability built into the law. Stop the fleecing of healthcare dollars by unaccountable hospital executives balancing their books on our backs.
New York lawmakers should reject S.1913 and, instead, work on creating a law that would make sure New York hospitals are responsible for reporting their actions under the current program. Enough is enough. We need to concentrate on helping those who need our help, not padding the bottom line of hospitals across New York.
Bishop Shawn Mason
The Freedom Church Bishop, Brooklyn, NY
Bishop Robert Butler
Glory Tabernacle, Brooklyn, NY
Pastor Elijah Boone
Open Heaven Worship Center, Queens, NY
Rev. Dr. Joseph Brickhouse
Lovely Hill Baptist Church, Brooklyn, NY
Bishop Earnest Crocker
Faith Hope and Charity Worship Center, Rochester, NY
Rev. Dr. Jannie Poullard
Liberty Baptist Church
Pastor Jason Hendrickson
Restoration Tabernacle Church, Brooklyn, NY
Bishop Shelvis Green II
Christway Church, Brooklyn, NY
Minister Justin Morris
Untrapped Ministries, Rochester, NY
Rev Cheryl Anthony
Judah International Ministries, Brooklyn, NY
