insulin
Lawmakers zero in on AI, insulin costs, pandemic prep in D.C. policy discussion
WASHINGTON — Nearly a dozen members of Congress on Wednesday outlined their work on policy during an annual legislative session focused on fostering bipartisanship. As part of the 34th legislative seminar by the law firm BakerHostetler, lawmakers in separate discussions touched on topics in which bipartisanship could be key such as artificial intelligence, agriculture and […]
Not all diabetics are on Medicare, and Congress needs to cap insulin prices for all Americans
For diabetics like me, insulin is as necessary as water, but too often it comes with an unaffordable price tag. As a result, as many as 1 in 4 of the seven million Americans dependent on insulin are skipping or skimping on doses, which can lead to severe complications, including death. Many of us ration doses because of Big […]
Here’s when drug prices will start to decrease for Medicare recipients
Starting next month, a $35 cap on insulin prices will go into effect for millions of Medicare recipients. The lower pricing is one of the first of several policy measures Americans will see in the coming months and years under the Inflation Reduction Act signed into law in August. The bill also requires pharmaceutical companies […]
Biden slams ‘extreme MAGA Republicans’ as Democrats launch drive to midterm election
President Joe Biden in a Thursday night speech to a crowd of party faithful promoted legislation passed by the Democratic Congress and attacked supporters of former President Donald Trump for defending rioters who stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. “Extreme MAGA Republicans just don’t threaten our personal, economic rights. They embrace political violence,” […]
As insulin costs soar, diabetics say a $35 cap on co-pays is not enough
WASHINGTON — Lacy Mason was a 21-year-old graduate student in Atlanta when she started rationing her insulin. As a Type 1 diabetic, she needs to take insulin every day for survival. But when the cost surged to $960 a month, Mason could no longer afford it. She had aged out of Medicaid and her student […]
Drugmakers, pharmacy middlemen sued over insulin prices
The companies that make prescription drugs and the pharmacy middlemen that buy them have been quick to blame each other for inflating prices. But now they’re being accused of conspiring to increase the cost of insulin, a lifesaving medicine for many with diabetes. Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge made the allegations in a lawsuit that […]
$35 insulin cap is welcome, popular, and bipartisan. But Congress may not pass it anyway.
By Michael McAuliff, Kaiser Health News Democrats in the Senate are primed this month to make their first attempt at salvaging one of the most popular elements of President Joe Biden’s stalled Build Back Better plan — the proposal to cap insulin costs at $35 a month. It might not go well. That’s true even […]
As insulin prices soar, some patients ration their doses: ‘You try to make do’
Navigating a lapse between insurers and facing an $1,100 up-front cost he couldn’t afford, Marcus LaCour had no choice but to start rationing out the insulin he had left until his next paycheck came. There’s no good or safe way for diabetics to cut corners taking their insulin, a hormone that regulates their blood sugar. […]
Bipartisan senators introduce bill to price cap insulin cost share
A bipartisan pair of state Senators introduced legislation Monday to cap the prices health insurers can charge people with diabetes for their insulin. Senate Bill 220, if passed, would prohibit insurers from charging more than $35 for a 30-day supply of insulin. The bill, less than 100 words in length, could save thousands annually for […]
Ohio Democrats look to wrangle down insulin costs
Democrats in the state House and Senate are pushing legislation that would force insurers to cap patients’ cost-sharing on insulin at $100 for a 30-day supply. The House Health Committee held its first review on the lower chamber’s bill last week, one of several pieces of legislation to address skyrocketing insulin costs in the U.S. […]