H.R. 8144: Rural 340B Access Act of 2024

This bill makes rural emergency hospitals (REHs) eligible to purchase drugs from manufacturers at discounted prices by participating in the Health Resources and Services Administration’s (HRSA’s) 340B drug pricing program. HRSA’s 340B program requires drug manufacturers that participate in the Medicaid program to sell certain outpatient drugs at discounted prices to entities listed as eligible under current law. Additionally, in 2020, Congress established REHs as a new Medicare provider designation for hospitals in rural areas providing emergency department services, observation care, and other outpatient medical and health services for which the annual per patient average length of stay does not exceed 24 hours. The bill adds qualifying REHs to the list of entities that are eligible to participate in the 340B program.

Written by the Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress.