340B Program

UMC uses the 340B savings to significantly expand care in our community, offering a wide range of valuable services to meet the unique needs of residents, including:

COVID-19 Vaccines: UMC played a key role in vaccinating our community throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, acting as one of the first mass vaccination sites in Nevada and the only hospital in our community to offer large-scale public vaccination services. 

COVID-19 Testing: UMC continues to play a crucial role in providing COVID-19 testing for the Las Vegas community. As the pandemic hit Nevada, UMC invested heavily in this vital resource, building a second on-site laboratory in a matter of weeks to significantly expand access to COVID-19 testing services in Nevada. UMC’s laboratory has performed more than 1.3 million COVID-19 tests.

The Healthy Living Institute at UMC:

• Fall Prevention Classes: As a result of the knowledge gained during this comprehensive Fall Prevention Class, the family of a 71-year-old woman learned how to keep her safe from falls at home. With a few hours of training, family members now know how to look for tripping hazards around her home to prevent her from falling, which could cause serious injuries.
• Baby Basics Classes: A first-time mom received valuable education on how to properly care for herself after she delivered her baby. This was especially important for her, as she’s a single mother and needed guidance as a new mom.
• Infant & Child CPR Classes: In partnership with the American Heart Association, UMC offers this complimentary life-saving class, teaching infant and child CPR to parents, caregivers and educators.
• Adult CPR-Family & Friends CPR Classes: In partnership with the American Heart Association, UMC offers this complimentary life-saving class, teaching adult CPR to those who want to learn CPR bud do not require a course completion card for an employer.

Transportation via Vouchers: UMC offers taxi and bus vouchers for patients in need upon discharge from the hospital.

Boot Camp for New Dads: For new dads like Brandon, fatherhood can be a daunting challenge. Boot Camp for New Dads takes the guess work out of being a dad by giving them hands-on education on how to feed, change, clothe and play with a baby. Dads are able to gain confidence and prepare for the best times of their lives with their little ones. Brandon says, “Attending the class before my first child was born gave me the confidence and skills to not just be a dad, but be an involved dad from day one.” 

Baby Steps: This is a comprehensive program that provides health care for moms and their babies. Obstetricians, pediatricians, family practice doctors and certified nurse midwives are available to work with moms to ensure that mom and baby receive the care they need.

Stop the Bleed Training: This life-saving training teaches community members how to stop life-threatening bleeding before medical help arrives. After the horrible events of October 1, 2017, the community of Las Vegas has embraced this training, learning how to apply pressure, use a tourniquet and pack a wound until emergency responders arrive on scene. More than 15,000 people have now received training through this program, and several patients have come through the UMC Trauma Center wearing tourniquets. Without this critical training, many of these patients would have passed away on scene.

Homeless Outreach/Flu Vaccinations: In an ongoing effort to keep all community members healthy, UMC offers flu vaccinations to those in our area who would otherwise not have access to preventive medicine.

Community Lectures: Health care experts from UMC are consistently out in our community sharing their knowledge on a wide variety of topics, including heart health, stroke prevention, and safe sleep for infants. Participants have the opportunity to learn from world-renowned physicians and nurses on medical topics that impact the lives of community members.

The UMC Wellness Center: UMC’s Wellness Center has been a part of the fabric of Southern Nevada since the AIDS epidemic first started in the 1980s. In fact, UMC was one of the first hospitals in the nation to care for HIV/AIDS patients. UMC pioneered HIV/AIDS care for patients, and as a result of advances in treatment, HIV/AIDS is now a survivable disease. Without the savings generated from the 340B program, our clinic would not be able to serve such a large number of patients. 

There are many indigent, uninsured or underinsured oncology patients living in the Las Vegas Valley. A few examples of patients that UMC are able to treat due to our participation in the 340B program are:

• A 35-year-old uninsured woman was diagnosed with stage IV, colorectal cancer.
• A 36-year-old uninsured woman was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma.
• A 23-year-old underinsured woman that was newly diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Each of these patients required a high-cost monoclonal antibody therapy. Utilizing the 340B program and its savings, UMC was able to absorb this cost and treat these patients. Without the 340B program UMCSN would not be able to continue treating these patients.

One of the critical medications used to help prevent organ rejection in transplant recipients is administered on a recurring basis as an infusion. Although insurance doesn’t cover the full cost of the drug, UMC is able to absorb the costs and continue providing this necessary treatment to our transplant patients thanks to our participation in the 340B program.  

In addition to the critical medications provided to transplant patients that are subsidized by savings provided by the 340B program, many transplant patients require extremely expensive therapies in an effort to maintain their transplanted organs. One example of this is:

• A 30-year-old recent kidney transplant requiring a high-cost monoclonal antibody therapy to treat atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome in an effort to save her kidney.

Multiple patients in the Las Vegas valley have a rare condition that affects the nerve cells in the spinal cord. As a result of this condition, patients may be unable to stand or walk. The drug treatment costs upwards of $850,000 to initiate therapy, and approximately $375,000 per year thereafter. Due to UMC’s participation in the 340B program, we are able to provide treatment for these patients.

These are just a few examples of the many cases that benefit from our participation in the 340B program.