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OP-ED: Patients Over Profit Congress Can Improve 340B

NNPA NEWSWIRE — Drug manufacturers are required by law to make medicines available to charity hospitals and pharmacies at a steep discount, with the idea that these healthcare centers would in turn make the medicines available to local patients for free or nearly for free (regardless of ability to pay).
The post OP-ED: Patients Over Profit Congress Can Improve 340B first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Published

2 years ago

December 8, 2023

Oakland Post

Congressman Mike Johnson, the new Speaker of the House has an opportunity to work in a bipartisan manner with Minority Leader, Hakeem Jeffries and follow the lead of a group of six U.S. Senators John Thune (R-S.D.), Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), and Ben Cardin (D-Md.), who formed a bi-partisan working group to find solutions that would provide stability and appropriate transparency to ensure the 340B program can continue to achieve its original intent of supporting entities serving eligible patients. Recently, the Senate HELP Committee Chairman Bernie Sanders (D-Vt.) released a report in which the senator called into question many of the practices we see today in the non-profit hospital industry. Referring to their tax-exempt status, the report observes that non-profit hospitals could play a significant role in delivering necessary care to Americans while also satisfying their charity care obligations. Instead, too often we learn that some of these hospitals are not directing these discounts to the patients they serve.

It takes decades to get anything big done in Washington, DC. That’s not something politicians there like to admit, but it’s true–nowhere more than in the complicated field of healthcare policy. When I first became a congressman in the early 1980s, I worked with Ben Chavis on Health Care issues for example, we didn’t have a prescription drug benefit for seniors. When I left the House a decade ago, seniors had access to lifesaving drugs, but the government lacked the power to negotiate prices with manufacturers. Last week the Biden Administration announced the first steps to setting up negotiations in Medicare made possible by the Inflation Reduction Act. There is more that can be done, and Congress has an obligation to do more when it comes to making sure everyone has access to prescription medicines at affordable prices. Back in the early 1990s (with my support) Congress passed a law known as “340B” to do just that. Drug manufacturers are required by law to make medicines available to charity hospitals and pharmacies at a steep discount, with the idea that these healthcare centers would in turn make the medicines available to local patients for free or nearly for free (regardless of ability to pay).

Believe it or not, Congress is still trying to make the 340B program work three decades later. Hospitals today are rarely stand-alone concerns. They are usually part of broad, corporately owned networks consisting of healthcare facilities in neighborhoods ranging from poor to rich, and from urban to rural. If one hospital qualifies to get discounted 340B drugs, this shouldn’t matter–the local patients are the intended beneficiaries. But that’s not how hospital networks are using 340B. As seen recently in Richmond VA, too often hospital networks are happy to use their branches in poor areas to get 340B drugs into the pipeline, but then re-route these medicines throughout the hospital network to be sold at full price to patients of all income levels. As someone who voted for the original 340B law, I can assure you this was not Congressional intent. We wanted the drug companies to get affordable medicines to the patients who need them–we never intended for hospital networks to profit off this using clever redirection tactics.

Maybe that’s why a bipartisan group of U.S. senators recently requested information from stakeholders about how the 340B program is working. I was pleased to see so many traditional civil rights, and other healthcare leaders weigh in on these and make health care disparities a key civil rights issue. We applaud leaders such as Rev. Al Sharpton, Delegate Kathy Tran, Virginia House of Delegates, Linda Goler Blount, Black Women’s Health Imperative, Kevin Kimble, Southern Christian Leadership Global Policy Initiative, Bishop Dean Nelson, Frederick Douglass Foundation, to name a few for their advocacy efforts on this issue. We want to improve the 340B program Democrats and Republicans agree that the program should work the way Congress intended it to. The Biden Administration should ensure that hospitals and other entities are using the savings they obtain from the 340B program to help the patients who are supposed to be helped. Fixing 340B is the next step in ensuring health equity regarding prescription medicines.

Mr. Ed Towns, a civil rights activist, and a former Member of Congress from New York who served on the Congressional Black Caucus.

Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr. is presently the CEO & President of the National Newspaper Publishers Association.

The post OP-ED: Patients Over Profit Congress Can Improve 340B first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

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Michael: The King of Pop’s Story Returns to the Big Screen

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — The curtain has finally lifted on one of Hollywood’s most anticipated films. Lionsgate has unveiled the official trailer and release date for “Michael,” the sweeping biopic about Michael Jackson that has been years in the making.

Published

1 week ago

November 6, 2025

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown
Black Press USA Senior National Correspondent

The curtain has finally lifted on one of Hollywood’s most anticipated films. Lionsgate has unveiled the official trailer and release date for “Michael,” the sweeping biopic about Michael Jackson that has been years in the making. Directed by Antoine Fuqua, the film will arrive in theaters on April 24, 2026, with the singer’s nephew, Jaafar Jackson, stepping into the spotlight to portray his legendary uncle.

The trailer wastes no time rekindling the aura of Jackson’s genius. Opening with a studio scene between Jackson and his longtime producer Quincy Jones, played by Kendrick Sampson, the clip builds from a quiet, familiar rhythm to the electrifying pulse of “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’.” Viewers catch glimpses of the singer’s childhood, flashes of “Thriller,” and the silhouette that redefined pop culture. Each frame reminds fans of why Jackson remains unmatched in artistry and influence. The cast surrounding the late pop king’s nephew, Jaafar Jackson, reads like a who’s who of Black entertainment and music history. Colman Domingo plays Joe Jackson, Nia Long portrays Katherine Jackson, and Larenz Tate takes on the role of Motown founder Berry Gordy. Laura Harrier portrays music executive Suzanne de Passe, while Kat Graham embodies Diana Ross. Miles Teller plays attorney John Branca, a towering entertainment lawyer and longtime Jackson confidant who later became co-executor of his estate. The film’s journey to release has been as complicated as the icon it portrays. Production wrapped in 2024, but legal hurdles over depictions of past controversies forced extensive reshoots and editing delays. Even so, Fuqua’s film now appears ready to reclaim the narrative, focusing on Jackson’s creative ambition and humanity beyond tabloid noise. IndieWire reported that the film had faced “a massive legal snafu” over a disputed storyline but was retooled to center the music and legacy that defined generations.

Maven. Photo Credit: Glen Wilson

“Michael” promises more than a chronological retelling. It aims to explore how a child star from Gary, Indiana, became the world’s most influential entertainer. The script, written by Oscar-nominated John Logan, traces Jackson’s early years with the Jackson 5 through the triumphs and isolation of global superstardom. With Fuqua’s cinematic eye and producer Graham King—who brought “Bohemian Rhapsody” to life—joining forces with estate executors Branca and John McClain, the film is positioned as both a tribute and a restoration of Jackson’s cultural truth. Branca’s work behind the scenes has long shaped Jackson’s posthumous success. After the singer died in 2009, Branca and McClain took control of the estate burdened by debt and turned it into a global powerhouse worth billions. Under their stewardship, Jackson’s projects have generated more than $3 billion in worldwide ticket sales and landmark deals, including a $600 million joint venture with Sony earlier this year. At its heart, though, “Michael” is a story about artistry that transcends scandal. It offers a reminder that, despite the noise surrounding his life, Jackson’s music still bridges continents and generations. The trailer’s closing moments capture that spirit. As the beat of “Billie Jean” swells and Jaafar Jackson moonwalks into a spotlight, audiences are left with a familiar feeling—the awe of witnessing something timeless return home.

“Michael” opens worldwide in theaters April 24, 2026. See the official trailer here.

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Donald Trump Is the Biggest Loser

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — The Trump Brand took a significant hit as it was swept up in the Democratic blue wave of the election last night.

Published

1 week ago

November 5, 2025

Oakland Post

By April Ryan

The Trump Brand took a significant hit as it was swept up in the Democratic blue wave of the election last night.

Chris Jones, Democratic candidate for U.S. House of Representatives (AR-02), says, “Last night was electric, and it was unquestionably a wave.” Democrats won big in what is widely considered a repudiation of Trump’s 9 months at the White House in his second term.

In the state of Virginia, which produced the first big election night win and saw the election of the first woman governor, Democrat Abigail Spanberger, 56% of Virginia’s residents disapprove of President Trump. In New Jersey, 55% of state residents disapprove of the president; in New York, 69% disapprove; and in California, 63% disapprove of the president. The Trump brand or his support for any candidates did nothing to benefit those he endorsed in this election. They actually lost in each race he publicly put his name behind. Trump endorsed former New York Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo, who lost the New York mayor’s race in his run as an independent. And New Jersey Republican Jack Ciattarelli, who ran for governor with the presidential endorsement, also lost his prospective race.

The next question is, will the democratic momentum be sustainable? Jones further explained, “This can become a 2026 tsunami, but turning a wave into a tsunami takes energy. A lot of energy. It doesn’t just happen. The conditions are there. Now we have to work!”

Some Democrats would argue that the work is already underway. The pushback against Trump’s national redistricting efforts received a thumb in the eye from California voters. Prop 50, California Governor Gavin Newsom’s counterbalance to President Trump’s redistricting efforts, passed in California last night. Although Trump’s name was not on the ballot last night, his Republican policies were. The United States has now entered the longest government shutdown in its history. Forty-two million Americans are not getting SNAP benefits. Economists are acknowledging that the government shutdown is contributing to the rise in delinquent debt in the student loan, automotive, and credit card industries. These items are among the negatives Americans are protesting against.

Compounding Trump’s political problems is a tariff battle that’s directly impacting pocketbooks. The day after the elections, the Trump administration was arguing before the US Supreme Court in favor of the president’s tariff powers. Meanwhile, President Trump‘s poll numbers are underwater, standing at a 37% national disapproval rate

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Historic Beatdown: Democrats Sweep Virginia as Speaker Don Scott and Jay Jones Make History

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — In a clear rejection of the policies of President Donald Trump, history repeated itself in Virginia.

Published

2 weeks ago

November 5, 2025

Oakland Post

By Lauren Burke

In a clear rejection of the policies of President Donald Trump, history repeated itself in Virginia. Democrats once again swept all three statewide offices as they did in 2017 during Trump’s first term. Abigail Spanberger easily won the office of Governor, and State Senator Ghazala Hashmi won her race over John Reid to be the next Lieutenant Governor. The victories occurred against the backdrop of a historic win in Virginia by Spanberger that will give Virginia its first woman Governor.

Spanberger’s widely predicted win over Republican gubernatorial nominee Winsome Earle-Sears was called 17 minutes after the polls closed in Virginia at 7 pm. Former Delegate Jay Jones won his race against incumbent Attorney General Jason Miyares. His victory means Jones will be the first Black Attorney General in Virginia’s history. Jones’ win was particularly noteworthy since the last month of his campaign was consumed by the issue of private text messages from 2022 to Republican Delegate Carrie Coyner. Republicans ran a non-stop barrage of negative ads against Jones for a month.

Del. Coyner lost her bid for re-election to Delegate-elect Lindsey Dougherty. The Dougherty race was the number one target for House Speaker Don Scott and his campaign lieutenant, Delegate Dan Helmer. Coyner’s defeat was one of at least 13 victories for Democrats who have now added to their ranks in the Virginia House to historic margins. When the Virginia General Assembly returns to session in January, there will be at least 64 Democrats in the chamber. The widespread Republican defeat is a testament to a combination of historic fundraising, Democrats running in all 100 seats, dislike of President Trump’s policies, and an ineffective top of the ticket featuring Lt. Gov. Earle Sears.

+13: Speaker Scott and Del. Helmer Hit Historic Numbers in Fundraising and Power

As the evening ended, a glaring historic fact became clearer: The Virginia House of Delegates will expand to a historic number. The change means the largest Democratic House chamber in the modern era. There were several notable wins by Democrats running for the Virginia House. They include Virgil Thornton, Lilly Franklin, and Kim Pope Adams. Speaker Don Scott and his campaign chair, Dan Helmer, undertook a record fundraising effort never before seen in Virginia’s history. The moment of success for Virginia Democrats will be viewed as a positive signal for Democrats moving into the 2026 elections.