More than 160 U.S. lawmakers have urged the Trump administration to abandon a newly announced pilot program that would allow pharmaceutical companies to offer rebates for a small number of therapies to hospitals that participate in a federal drug discount program.

At issue is the 340B discount program, which was created to help hospitals and clinics care for low-income and rural patients. Drug companies that want to take part in Medicare or Medicaid must offer their medicines at a discount — typically, 25% to 50%, but sometimes higher — to participating hospitals and clinics. Right now, drug companies generally provide the discounts at the time of purchase.

Since its inception more than three decades ago, the program has ballooned — there are now about 55,000 participating entities — and

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