The Affordable Insulin Now Actwould require insurers to cap patient out-of-pocket costs for insulin at $35 per month – there are over 1 million Georgia patients, or more than 12% of state’s adult population, living with diabetes
For the Affordable Insulin Now Act, according to The Atlanta Voice, “it does not matter if an individual is on private insurance or […] Medicare, or Medicare Advantage. It will cap the cost of insulin to $35 per month”
The American Diabetes Association (ADA), the most prominent diabetes organization in the nation, recently announced its endorsement of the plan, saying “it’s time we make insulin affordable for millions of Americans!”
ICYMI in the Albany Herald, via Capitol Beat: “Warnock said he’s working with senators on both sides of the aisle who support a cap on insulin”
Lacy Mason, a Georgian with diabetes, told the AJC that “type 1 diabetics can only go about two to three days without insulin before they die; it is literally life or death.”
WALB, via Gray TV: “Senate support for an insulin price cap gaining momentum”
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock’s (D-GA) legislation to cap the out-of-pocket cost of insulin for Georgians and Americans is gaining momentum among Georgians. The Affordable Insulin Now Act would require Medicare plans and private group or individual plans to cap patients’ out-of-pocket costs for insulin at $35 per month. This will lower costs for insulin users and save money for hardworking Georgians and Americans—many who are paying exorbitantly from their own pockets for insulin and other diabetic treatments.
Senator Reverend Warnock is pushing to move this bill forward to the floor by the Easter holiday. Here is what Georgians are saying about this groundbreaking piece of legislation to lower costs:
The Atlanta Voice: “U.S. Senator Raphael Warnock promotes plan capping insulin prices at $35”
“U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock visited the Little 5 Points Pharmacy in East Atlanta Monday afternoon touting his proposal to cap the cost of insulin at $35. Warnock also participated in a roundtable discussion with advocates, insulin users, and pharmacists.
“The Affordable Insulin Now Act, according to Senator Warnock, is a deferential plan. It does not matter if an individual is on private insurance or […] Medicare, or Medicare Advantage. It will cap the cost of insulin to $35 per month. He also said it does not matter if an individual is using the pens or vials.
“Warnock explained during the discussion that he had a mandate to help Georgians get better access to healthcare. He is also hopeful the Affordable Insulin Now Actwill make it out of committee soon.”
The American Diabetes Association’s endorsement of Senator Reverend Warnock’s plan
Senator Reverend Warnock received a ringing endorsement of his Affordable Insulin Now Act from the prominent American Diabetes Association. The organization issued a statement on Twitter, saying: “ADA has endorsed legislation introduced by US Sen. Rev. Raphael Warnock creating a national co-pay cap on insulin. Let’s do this thing! It’s time we make insulin affordable for millions of Americans!”
Capitol Beat: “U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock sponsoring legislation to cap the costs of insulin”
“U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-Georgia, is pushing to get legislation he introduced last month capping the cost of insulin to the Senate floor by the Easter recess. The bill would limit the cost of insulin to $35 per month. The measure would apply to private group or individual health plans as well as Medicare.
“Warnock said he’s working with senators on both sides of the aisle who support a cap on insulin.
“Warnock said 20 states and the District of Columbia have passed legislation capping patient copays for insulin, including the Republican-led states of Alabama, Oklahoma and Utah. ‘This is a bipartisan issue,’ he said. ‘Everybody knows somebody with diabetes.’”
Lacy Mason, a Georgian with diabetes, spoke about her experience rationing her insulin as a college student and why she is supportive of Senator Reverend Warnock’s plan to cap insulin costs to $35 a month:
“It’s really hard for me to talk about, but it’s important to talk about it. Type 1 diabetics can only go about two to three days without insulin before they die; it is literally life or death.”
Atlanta endocrinologist Kate Wheeler said her and her colleagues are constrained in treating patients based off of how much insulin they can afford:
“We are forever spending our time and energy, their time and energy and their resources making decisions based on what they can get, not what they should and need to get from a practical and financial standpoint.”
Gray TV: “Senate support for an insulin price cap gaining momentum”
“The CDC says about 37 million Americans, or about 11% of the country, live with diabetes. The American Diabetes Association says the cost of life-saving insulin nearly tripled between 2002 and 2013.”
“Senator Raphael Warnock (D-GA) is sponsoring a bill to cap insulin costs at $35 a month for people with Medicare and private insurance coverage. Sen. Warnock said, ‘for the sake of folks that deal with this every day, and for the sake of getting costs under control, we need to do this now.’”
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