Millions of Americans who are dependent on insulin treatment for their diabetes will benefit if a new bill capping the cost of insulin, which recently passed the House, also succeeds in the Senate.
The United States House of Representatives passed the Affordable Insulin Now Act this month. Twelve Republicans broke party lines to vote for the bill. The bill caps the cost of insulin at $35 for people taking this life- saving medication. According to estimates, one in five Americans who have employer- provided health insurance and are on insulin treatment will benefit from this measure. The Kaiser Family Foundation says that the average American who suffers from diabetes and is dependent on insulin spends approximately 300 to 1,000 dollars every month on purchasing insulin. Those costs will be significantly reduced.
Diabetics who suffer from Type 1 Diabetes are typically more likely to require insulin because the body, in this condition, produces little to none of this hormone. It is estimated that approximately 5 to 10 out of every 100 diabetic patients are insulin-dependent.
The cost of insulin was earlier included in a different version of the Build Back Better bill that did include a move to reduce drug prices. Unfortunately, it stalled in the Senate. At this point, supporters introduced a standalone bill that was aimed at reducing the costs of insulin. It remains to be seen if the bill has enough support in the Senate. If the bill is passed, it would mean good news for thousands of diabetes patients in Georgia, who are dependent on insulin every year.