INSULIN Act would expand insulin co-pay cap to commercial market and encourage competition
The Endocrine Society today endorsed the Improving Needed Safeguards for Users of Lifesaving Insulin Now (INSULIN) Act, a bipartisan bill to address insulin affordability introduced by Sens. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Susan Collins (R-ME), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), and John Kennedy (R-LA).
This historic legislation would cap out-of-pocket insulin costs at $35 per month for people on private insurance, protecting access to this life-saving medication for millions of people with diabetes. The legislation also would create a program to provide insulin to the uninsured.
The INSULIN Act expands the $35 cap on out-of-pocket costs of insulin currently available for Medicare beneficiaries, extending the cap for those with private insurance, and addresses the underlying problems in the insulin market that contribute to escalating prices. The bill also includes provisions ensuring that patients are receiving any insulin rebates and discounts that are normally collected by Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs), and a provision to encourage more competition for generic and biosimilar insulins.
Insulin affordability is a life-or-death matter for millions of people living with diabetes in the United States. People with type 1 diabetes rely on insulin to live, and many people with type 2 take insulin as part of their treatment plan. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates 38.4 million people—or 11.6% of the U.S. population—have diabetes. In 2021 alone, nearly one in five American adults with diabetes—about 1.3 million people—rationed their insulin.
“Many people living with diabetes struggle to pay for the insulin they need to survive,” said Endocrine Society Clinical Affairs Core Committee Chair Whitney Goldner, M.D. “This important legislation would ensure that people living with diabetes on private insurance are able to access this life-saving medication at no more than $35 per month. The legislation also includes provisions to help people who are uninsured afford their insulin. We are pleased to endorse this bipartisan bill and thank Sens. Shaheen, Collins, Warnock and Kennedy for their commitment to addressing this urgent issue.”
The INSULIN Act aligns with recommendations in the Society’s Insulin Access and Affordability Position Statement, which calls for lowering the price of insulin through rebate reform and limiting co-pays to no more than $35 per month for insulin.
Here is a more detailed breakdown of the policies in the legislation to improve access and affordability of insulin:
The Endocrine Society looks forward to working with Congress to ensure the legislation is passed this year.
About the Endocrine Society
Endocrinologists are at the core of solving the most pressing health problems of our time, including diabetes, obesity, infertility, bone health, and hormone-related cancers. The Endocrine Society is the largest global organization of scientists devoted to hormone research and physicians who care for people with hormone-related conditions.
With more than 18,000 members in 133 countries, the Society serves as the voice of the endocrine field. Through its renowned journals and ENDO, the world's largest endocrine meeting, the Society accelerates hormone research, advances clinical excellence in endocrinology, and advocates for evidence-based policies on behalf of the global endocrine community. To learn more, visit our online newsroom.
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