In brief
As insulin prices remain a critical concern for many American families, a new bipartisan effort known as the INSULIN Act aims to cap costs at $35 monthly for individuals with private insurance. This legislation seeks to alleviate financial burdens for the nearly 8.1 million insulin users, particularly for families with young children and those without insurance. With growing bipartisan support, advocates remain hopeful despite past failures in similar legislation.
NEW YORK (AP) — Two-year-old Bain Brandon has Type 1 diabetes and needs insulin to live. But even with health insurance, the price tag isn’t cheap. A one-month supply of insulin vials and a three-month supply of backup pens for the Mississippi toddler cost his parents $194 last week, according to his mom, 29-year-old Marlee Brandon. They can afford it right now — but she worries about the future.“A lot of people don’t realize how much and how expensive it is,” said Marlee.A bipartisan group of senators is aiming to relieve that cost burden with the INSULIN Act, a bill to cap the cost of the lifesaving drug at $35 per month for Americans with private insurance plans. The bill, introduced last week by Sens. Jeanne Shaheen, D-Maine, Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., Susan Collins, R-Maine, and John Kennedy, R-La., would also start a pilot program to provide more affordable insulin to uninsured Americans in 10 states. Similar legislation saw success with Medicare in 2022, capping costs for older adults.About 8.1 million people in the U.S. use insulin, and while some have low or no out-of-pocket costs, others face bills in the hundreds each month. Major insulin manufacturers have begun to make moves to lower prices, yet many remain uncovered due to the limitations of private plans.Despite the bipartisan support for the INSULIN Act, past attempts to cap insulin costs at the federal level have stalled. Advocates remain hopeful as they push for these necessary changes amidst rising healthcare concerns.
