Senators reach deal on capping insulin costs at $35
Semafor • • nation
Key Points:
- A bipartisan group of senators, including Jeanne Shaheen, Susan Collins, Raphael Warnock, and John Kennedy, has reached a deal to cap the price of insulin at $35, aiming to reduce the cost burden for Americans with diabetes.
- The compromise includes a pilot program in 10 states allowing uninsured individuals to purchase insulin at the capped price, with the Health and Human Services Department selecting states based on diabetes diagnosis rates among the uninsured.
- The bill also proposes changes to pharmacy benefit manager rebate programs to save money, with fiscal conservatives like Kennedy emphasizing the need to fund the program’s costs.
- The group plans to build momentum by adding co-sponsors and attaching the legislation to must-pass bills, but they must first secure support from Senate Majority Leader John Thune and President Donald Trump.
- Previous bipartisan efforts stalled after the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act passed on party lines, but the senators remain optimistic about overcoming political challenges due to the widespread impact of insulin affordability.
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