Looks like they pushing Federal copay caps onto private insurance.
A lot of people get mad at the advocacy orgs because they haven’t pushed this sooner. Of course copay caps exist at a state level in a lot of place now - Colorado was the first. We have them here in MN for meds that cover all the major chronic diseases, like epi pen, athsma, insulin/medical devices for diabetics.
I tend to get mad at the advocacy orgs because they never hit private insurance. They always say, “If we push leg through Medicare, then we will come back for private insurance later,” but they never do. If they are gonna hit private insurance, then I have to post it.
They are looking for cosponsors, so they are early in the process.
Looks like they have bill sponsors from New Hampsire, Maine, Georgia, and Louisiana so far.
"This bill, introduced by Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Susan Collins (R-ME), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), and John Kennedy (R-LA), will, among other things:
- Cap monthly out-of-pocket costs for insulin for those with group and individual market health plans.
- Require pharmacy benefit managers to pass through 100% of insulin rebates and discounts to plan sponsors, which would help people in the form of reduced premiums.
- Promote generic and biosimilar competition.
- Launch a pilot program in 10 states to provide uninsured individuals with insulin for $35 per month.
- Establish an insulin resource center and hotline for uninsured individuals to help them secure insulin."
We need the T1D community to contact their U.S. Senators to urge them to cosponsor the bill and move it swiftly. Please take action today and encourage your friends and family to do the same!