Posted: | July 8, 2019 09:31 AM |
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From: | Senator Katie J. Muth and Sen. Maria Collett, Sen. Pam Iovino, Sen. Timothy P. Kearney, Sen. Steven J. Santarsiero, Sen. Lindsey M. Williams |
To: | All Senate members |
Subject: | Capping Insulin Copays |
In the near future, we will be introducing legislation that will establish a copay cap for prescription insulin drugs at $100 per one-month supply of insulin. According to the American Diabetes Association, more than 1.4 million people in Pennsylvania live with diabetes and 3.5 million more are living with pre-diabetes. There are also an estimated 325,000 Pennsylvanians that have diabetes but don’t know it. Every year, 71,000 more Pennsylvanians are diagnosed with diabetes. In 2016, the Joint State Government Commission published a report on diabetes in Pennsylvania that outlined how those living with diabetes face 2.3 times higher medical costs than those without. These direct medical expenses compounded with lost productivity for Pennsylvania totaled $13.4 billion in 2012. This report also found that more than 8 people died per day from diabetes in 2013. In 1996, a vial of Humalog, one of the most popular analog insulin brands, was sold for $21. If it were adjusted for inflation, it should cost $34.37 a vial today. Instead retail price is around $300. This artificial price-gouging causes Pennsylvanians to die unnecessarily, but it can be prevented. Our legislation would cap insulin copays at $100 per one-month supply of insulin. It will also mandate an investigation on the pricing of insulin drugs sold to Pennsylvanians to ensure adequate consumer protections. The resulting report will be published and submitted to the general assembly legislature. Please join us in cosponsoring this life saving legislation. |