OLYMPIA, WA (March 25, 2026) – Today, Washington Governor Bob Ferguson signed SB 5981, which helps protect Washington’s health care safety net.
Specifically, the law prevents drug companies from denying a safety net provider access to discounted drugs (purchased via the 340B Drug Pricing Program) when the provider contracts with pharmacies in the community to dispense drugs to the providers’ patients.
“The 340B program is a lifeline for rural hospitals, Ryan White clinics serving people living with HIV, community clinics and other safety net providers and the patients they serve,” said Laura Boudreau, Chief of Operations/Risk Management and Quality Improvement for AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF). “The program basically cuts drug prices so that safety net providers who participate in the 340B program have the resources they need to provide more services to more patients. By enacting this law, the Governor has taken a critical step to protect Washington’s safety net, while not costing the state any money, since the discounts are provided by the drug companies, not the state. Thank you, Governor Ferguson, and thank you Senator Annette Cleveland and Representative My-Linh Thai for sponsoring the bill, making sure the safety net in Washington remains strong.”
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