Rural Hospitals Struggle To Stock Expensive Drugs That Could Save Lives

Rural healthcare providers often struggle to stock sufficient quantities of certain kinds of life-saving prescription drugs because of their high price tag. A provision expanded under the Affordable Care Act extended a discount program for hospitals that primarily serve low-income people to cover rural providers as well. However, this provision includes an exception for "orphan drugs," or prescription medications that treat rare diseases, meaning they are not discounted for rural facilities. Because many prescriptions are granted orphan drug status while they are being tested on rare conditions, this exception prevents rural hospitals from getting discounts on widely-used and life-saving medications.
Source: News stories via the Rural Assistance Center - Category: Rural Health Source Type: news