Ross Marchand on the 340B Drug Program and the Hidden Costs to Patients and Taxpayers

In this episode of the Health Policy Podcast, Ross Marchand, executive director of the Taxpayers Protection Alliance, examines how the federal 340B drug pricing program has strayed far from its original intent. Marchand explains how a program designed to lower prescription drug costs for vulnerable patients has evolved into a system that allows large, well-funded hospitals to purchase discounted drugs, sell them at full price, and retain the profits—amounting to billions of dollars annually. The discussion also explores why the Affordable Care Act continues to be treated as politically untouchable, despite market distortions that benefit healthcare providers and insurers while leaving patients and taxpayers behind. Marchand outlines potential paths forward, including meaningful reform of the 340B program or eliminating it entirely to restore transparency, accountability, and fairness in healthcare pricing.