My entire adult life, I have dedicated my life to working for, and being a part of the community I was raised in. First as an educator and a coach, and now as an elected official. I love Missouri. I love the people here. Representing my district is the honor of my life and a responsibility I don’t take lightly.

Part of that responsibility is listening to the voters who sent me to Jefferson City, and representing their interests first and foremost. I have done, and will continue to do this- and I am calling on our federal representatives to do the same.

In 2023, Then-Missouri Gov. Mike Parson signed a bill that I sponsored that protected rural hospitals. The goal was, and continues to be, increasing healthcare for rural communities and helping keep hospital doors open. I describe my bill then as I do now: It’s a win-win for everybody.
Protecting rural hospitals by preserving the 340B drug discount program is of the utmost importance. But sadly, Big Pharma has poured untold millions into lobbying efforts that have proven to be quite successful in swaying elected officials in Washington, D.C. to push for their desired “reforms”, which is really just politician-speak for gutting what is good about the program so drug companies don’t have to offer discounts on their medications.

I haven’t been in the political game as long as most people, but I have seen first-hand that it is far too easy for too many politicians to make promises to voters here in Missouri, and then go to our nation’s capital and apparently forget everything they said they would do, just to fit in with the “in crowd”. It’s also too easy for our congressmen to vote for bills that hurt rural health, but then seek to deflect blame by criticizing hospitals we all rely on.

We shouldn’t have to remind our representatives that we matter, and that the services we rely on are worth preserving: yet here we are. It’s extra bewildering considering 340B costs taxpayers nothing.

340B, which became law in 1992, allows eligible hospitals and health care providers serving vulnerable and rural communities to purchase outpatient medications at significantly reduced prices.

These providers are then able to use the savings from these discounts to expand access to care, fund critical health services, and support their operations—helping ensure that patients, especially those in underserved areas, can receive the medications and treatments they need. Drug manufacturers participating in the lucrative Medicare and Medicaid markets are required by law to provide these discounts, and the program operates at no additional cost to taxpayers. Of course, they benefit from this, too, because being able to bill the government for drugs they manufacture provides an excellent foundation for their own profitability, allowing them to continue to invest and develop the next generation of medicines.

I’ve done my part here at home by sponsoring legislation that safeguards 340B, which protects rural hospitals so many here in our state depend on. Approximately 99 of our 115 counties are classified as rural, mine included.

Standing up for a program that costs taxpayers nothing, but allows rural hospitals to keep their doors open and provide life-saving care is something we can all support. A largely rural state deserves elected officials that truly represent their interests.

Senator Mike Henderson represents Missouri’s 3rd Senatorial District, which includes Crawford, St. Francois, Ste. Genevieve, Washington and part of Jefferson County. Senator Henderson is a former member of the Missouri House of Representatives, representing St. Francois County (District 117), where he served as Speaker Pro Tem from 2023-2025. Born in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, Sen. Henderson resides in Desloge with his wife, Cheri. They have two children and one grandson.