NEW YORK (AP) — Two-year-old Bain Brandon has Type 1 diabetes and needs insulin to live. But even with health insurance, the price tag isn’t cheap.
A one-month supply of insulin vials and a three-month supply of backup pens for the Mississippi toddler cost his parents $194 last week, according to his mom, 29-year-old Marlee Brandon. They can afford it right now — but she worries about the future.
“One day, Bain will be an adult, and he won’t be able to be on our insurance anymore,” she said. “I feel like a lot of people don’t realize how much and how expensive it is.”
A bipartisan group of senators is aiming to relieve that cost burden with the INSULIN Act, a bill to cap the cost of the lifesaving drug at $35 per month for Americans with private insurance plans. The bill, introduced last week by Sens. Jeanne Shaheen, D-Maine, Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., Susan Collins, R-Maine, and John Kennedy, R-La., would also start a pilot program to provide more affordable insulin to uninsured Americans in 10 states. A somewhat similar bill passed in 2022, as part of the Biden-era Inflation Reduction Act, a sweeping package from Democrats that successfully capped the drug at $35 per month for older adults on Medicare.
The legislation faces challenges, including concerns about its cost and other competing congressional priorities. However, with bipartisan support emerging amidst rising health care costs affecting all parties, there is a chance for meaningful progress.
Out-of-pocket costs for insulin are significant, varying widely among 8.1 million insulin users in the U.S., with some paying hundreds of dollars each month. Many patients continue to struggle with affordability, especially those with private insurance plans that fall outside state regulations.
Major insulin manufacturers such as Eli Lilly, Sanofi, and Novo Nordisk claim to be making strides in reducing costs, but many patients remain uncovered. Advocates are cautiously optimistic, urging support for the INSULIN Act as it would crucially benefit patients and their families in managing diabetes.
Diabetes patients and advocates continue to push for the bill, with young adults likely to benefit significantly from potential protections established under the legislation. They express a mix of hope and concern, mindful of past failures to pass similar proposals.
“There’s many distractions and important things going on,” said Manny Hernandez, CEO of The Diabetes Link. “But I don’t lose hope.”
