Collins joins Diabetes Caucus co-chairs to set bipartisan insulin policy priorities

U.S. Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) on April 11 joined her fellow co-chairs of the Senate Diabetes Caucus and the House Diabetes Caucus to unveil new bipartisan policy priorities aimed at encouraging insulin manufacturers to reduce list prices, while extending beneficiary protections to foster competition and broader access to insulin products.

“Access to insulin is a life-or-death concern for many of the millions of Americans living with diabetes,” said Sen. Collins and Senate Diabetes Co-Chair Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) in a joint statement. “Lowering skyrocketing costs to ensure this critical medicine is never out of reach is an urgent need and a crucial bipartisan priority in Congress.”

In their proposal, the lawmakers prioritize policies to encourage insulin manufacturers to reduce list prices by, for instance, ensuring insurance plans and pharmacy benefit managers cannot collect rebates, which drive up drug costs at the point of sale, on insulins that roll prices back to 2006 or equivalent levels, according to a summary provided by the lawmakers.

Additionally, they support making such insulins eligible for cost-sharing protections, including a waiver on any applicable deductible and limiting copays or coinsurance to no more than $35 per month, and supporting patient access to such insulins by ensuring coverage and that prior authorization or other medical management requirements cannot be imposed to limit beneficiary use, the summary says.

Another prioritized policy is to limit out-of-pocket costs for patients with diabetes by ensuring that group and individual market health plans must waive any deductible and limit cost-sharing to no more than $35 per month, for at least one insulin of each type and dosage form, according to the summary.

Sens. Collins and Shaheen, who were joined in introducing their policy priorities by House Diabetes Caucus Co-Chairs Diana DeGette (D-CO) and Tom Reed (R-NY), also invited their Senate colleagues to provide input as they work to finalize their legislation.

“We have made great progress, and soliciting feedback is the next step in our process,” the senators said. “With strong bipartisan leadership, we look forward to continuing to work together to deliver on this issue for Americans with diabetes and their families – we must seize the moment and uphold our commitment to finally combat the decades-long surging prices of insulin.”