Chicago Rally Urges Lawmakers to Protect 340B Program Serving Communities Across Illinois

BEVERLY -- Community health leaders and patients will gather Sunday, February 1, at 3401 W. Roosevelt Road for 340B Saves Lives Action Day: A Community Celebration, sending a clear message to state lawmakers as the spring legislative session approaches: Illinois must act to protect the 340B Drug Pricing Program.

Organizers say the event is designed to spotlight how critical the program is for community health centers and safety-net hospitals serving the greater Chicago region and communities across Illinois. A press conference begins at 2:30 p.m., followed by a public celebration from 3 to 4 p.m.

According to the event’s media alert, “The 340B program allows eligible hospitals and community health centers to stretch limited resources, providing affordable medications and essential health care services to low-income, urban and rural uninsured patients.” Those savings allow providers to offer essential services that would otherwise be out of reach for thousands of families.

But that access is under threat. The alert warns that “ongoing attacks to the discount drug program threaten patients’ access to care and could force providers to cut critical programs and services.” Health care leaders say uncertainty around the program has already begun to strain clinics and hospitals that serve some of the state’s most vulnerable residents.

Sunday’s Action Day is intended to highlight why legislative protections are needed now. Organizers emphasize that “the future of 340B is at risk,” adding: “Without 340B patients lose access to affordable, lifesaving medications and safety net providers will be forced to close their doors.”

Speakers will include patients and regional health care leaders who rely on 340B every day, including Dr. James Brooks, CEO of Lawndale Christian Health Center; Mahomed Ouedraogo, CEO of Access Community Health Network; Dr. Lisa Green of Family Christian Health Center; and Dr. Ngozi Ezike, President and CEO of Sinai Chicago.

For residents of Beverly, Mt. Greenwood, and surrounding neighborhoods, advocates say the issue reaches far beyond a single clinic or community. Community health centers and safety-net hospitals form a statewide network, caring for patients who often have nowhere else to turn. When those providers lose resources, the ripple effects are felt across the entire health care system.

As lawmakers prepare for key debates in Springfield this spring, Sunday’s rally aims to underscore that protecting 340B is about protecting access to care for all Illinois residents—urban and rural alike.

The event will feature rally signs, patient speakers, and opportunities for interviews and visuals, offering a powerful reminder of what’s at stake. Organizers hope the message resonates: protecting 340B means protecting lives, strengthening community care, and ensuring that Illinois’ health care safety net remains strong for generations to come.