In this episode of Healthcare Matters, Dr. Robert Popovian and co-host Angela Degrassi discuss the 340B Drug Discount Program and why a program created to help vulnerable patients has become an important issue for patient access, hospital transparency, and accountability.

The conversation explains how 340B allows eligible hospitals and other covered entities to purchase certain outpatient medicines at steep discounts. The original purpose was to help safety-net providers stretch limited resources and support uninsured, underinsured, and underserved patients. Dr. Popovian emphasizes that the program is valuable and should not be eliminated but asks whether the savings are actually reaching patients directly.

The episode also explores why many patients may not know they are receiving care at a 340B hospital, even though that hospital may be purchasing outpatient medicines at a significant discount. Patients are not automatically guaranteed to receive that discounted price, and hospitals are not clearly required to pass those savings directly to them.

Robert and Angela also discuss findings from a study Dr. Popovian co-authored comparing 340B and non-340B hospitals. The study found that 340B hospitals, on average, provided less charity care, less charity care for uninsured patients, and less uncompensated or unreimbursed care as a percentage of operating expenses than non-340B hospitals.

The key message: 340B was created to help vulnerable patients, but patients are often not told when hospitals receive these discounts and are not guaranteed to benefit directly. Patients should be informed, hospitals should be transparent, and there should be a clear pathway for patients to ask whether 340B discounts can help reduce their out-of-pocket drug costs.

Read the study here: https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.02.12.26346191v1

Contact Our Hosts

Dr. Robert Popovian, Chief Science Policy Officer at GHLF: rpopovian@ghlf.org

Angela Degrassi, Senior Manager, Patient-Centered Research Operations & Engagement: adegrassi@ghlf.org

A podcast series produced by Amelia Violet Prouse.

We want to hear what you think. Send your comments, or a video or audio clip of yourself, to podcasts@ghlf.org

Listen to all episodes of Healthcare Matters on our website or on your favorite podcast channel.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of Healthcare Matters, Dr. Robert Popovian and co-host Angela Degrassi discuss why uncertainty surrounding the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, known as ACIP, matters far beyond Washington, DC.

The conversation explains how ACIP recommendations are connected to the real-world systems that help patients get vaccinated, including pharmacist authority, state scope-of-practice laws, and Medicaid reimbursement. Dr. Popovian explains that adult vaccination is especially vulnerable to disruption because most adults receive vaccines at pharmacies, and in many states, pharmacists’ ability to administer vaccines is tied to ACIP recommendations.

The episode also explores why seasonal vaccines, such as flu and COVID vaccines, are particularly exposed to uncertainty because they require updated authorization and recommendations each year. Robert and Angela discuss what happened when COVID vaccine guidance was delayed, how some states responded with temporary workarounds, and why not every state may be prepared to act quickly if similar uncertainty continues.

The discussion also highlights GHLF’s new integration of Walgreens’ Vaccine Scheduler into GHLF’s vaccine hub, a tool designed to help adult patients better understand and access vaccines at local pharmacies.

The key message: ACIP may sound like an advisory body, but its recommendations can directly affect whether patients can get vaccines, whether pharmacists can provide them, and whether Medicaid will pay for them.

Contact Our Hosts

Dr. Robert Popovian, Chief Science Policy Officer at GHLF: rpopovian@ghlf.org

Angela Degrassi, Senior Manager, Patient-Centered Research Operations & Engagement: adegrassi@ghlf.org

A podcast series produced by Amelia Violet Prouse.

We want to hear what you think. Send your comments, or a video or audio clip of yourself, to podcasts@ghlf.org

Listen to all episodes of Healthcare Matters on our website or on your favorite podcast channel.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of Healthcare Matters, Dr. Robert Popovian is joined by new co-host Angela Degrassi for a conversation about access to oral antiviral treatments for COVID-19, especially for older adults and people living with chronic disease.

Prompted by a new CDC report and supported by findings from a recent Global Healthy Living Foundation survey, the discussion explores a troubling pattern: awareness of COVID antiviral treatments may be high, but many high-risk patients still do not receive them when they test positive.

Dr. Popovian explains why prescribing appears to rise when COVID is dominating headlines and then fall when public attention fades, even though patient risk has not changed. He and Angela discuss the real-world barriers that can stand in the way of timely treatment, including missed prescribing opportunities, delays in testing, out-of-pocket costs, and uncertainty about eligibility.

This episode highlights a simple but important message: for high-risk patients, timely treatment should be part of the care plan, not an afterthought. It also offers practical guidance for patients and caregivers on what to do immediately after testing positive and why acting quickly can make all the difference.

COVID-19 Antiviral Prescription Receipt Among Outpatients Aged ≥65 Years

COVID-19 Oral Antiviral Treatments Among U.S. Patients with Chronic Conditions

Contact Our Hosts

Dr. Robert Popovian, Chief Science Policy Officer at GHLF: rpopovian@ghlf.org

Angela Degrassi|, Senior Manager, Patient-Centered Research Operations & Engagement: adegrassi@ghlf.org

A podcast series produced by Amelia Violet Prouse.

We want to hear what you think. Send your comments, or a video or audio clip of yourself, to podcasts@ghlf.org

Listen to all episodes of Healthcare Matters on our website or on your favorite podcast channel.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.