Ryan Fournier, co-founder and national chairman of Students for Trump, has urged Republican lawmakers to support federal reform of the 340B Drug Pricing Program rather than expanding it at the state level. Fournier made this statement on X.
“The 340B program is a cash cow for hospitals exploiting loopholes,” said Fournier. “Republican legislators are going against President Trump. Republican legislators are caving to Big nonprofit Hospital. Let President Trump reform it at the federal level – that’s what Republicans want.”
The 340B Drug Pricing Program is facing increased scrutiny from Republican lawmakers who argue that it lacks transparency and deviates from its original purpose. According to KFF Health News, Senator Bill Cassidy and other GOP members are advocating for reforms to prevent hospitals from exploiting the program for profit instead of serving low-income patients. Some proposals suggest requiring hospitals to report how savings are utilized and imposing stricter oversight.
Hospitals have reportedly generated significant profits through the 340B program by billing insurers at full price while purchasing drugs at a discount. JAMA Network Open reports that 340B hospitals amassed approximately $3.7 billion in drug revenue in 2019 alone. A separate analysis by the Food and Drug Law Institute (FDLI) found that the average profit margin on these discounted drugs reached 72%, raising concerns about potential abuse of the program.
Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) reported that in New York, 113 hospitals participate in the 340B program, maintaining over 6,000 contracts with pharmacies nationwide. However, only 24% of these contract pharmacies are situated in medically underserved areas, and 86% of participating hospitals provide below-average levels of charity care. This disparity has raised questions about the program’s effectiveness in reaching its intended beneficiaries within the state.
Fournier is a conservative activist known for co-founding Students for Trump, a group established in 2015 to garner student support for Donald Trump. According to Wikipedia, Fournier studied at Campbell University and has led digital firms such as xStrategies and OpenPoll, promoting Republican-aligned causes like healthcare freedom and deregulation.
Students for Trump is a conservative political organization founded by Fournier and John Lambert in 2015 to support Donald Trump’s presidential campaign. According to Wikipedia, it evolved into a national student movement and was later integrated into Turning Point USA in 2019, continuing its mission to mobilize young voters for Republican candidates.
