Senator Collins’ Five Bipartisan Measures to Lower Insulin Costs, Strengthen Health Care Workforce Advance Out of Committee

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Susan Collins announced that three of her bills advanced as standalone measures, while two additional bills she authored advanced in their entirety as part of a broader health care workforce bill. All five measures received strong bipartisan support during a Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee markup. Together, the measures would cap the monthly cost of insulin and strengthen the health care workforce in Maine and across the country.

"Families across Maine are being squeezed by rising health care costs, while rural hospitals and other providers are struggling to recruit and retain the skilled professionals they need to serve their communities," said Senator Collins. "With maternity units closing, workforce shortages straining hospitals, and too many patients struggling to afford lifesaving insulin, these bipartisan measures address some of the most pressing challenges facing Maine people. I was pleased to see the strong support these measures received in committee today, and as they continue through the legislative process, I will keep working across the aisle to lower costs, strengthen Maine's health care workforce, and help better ensure that people in every part of our state can access quality, affordable care close to home."

The three bills introduced by Senator Collins that advanced at today's committee markup include:

• Improving Needed Safeguards for Users of Lifesaving Insulin Now (INSULIN) Act - Click HERE to watch and HERE to download Senator Collins' remarks on this bill.
• • A bill introduced by Senators Collins, Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA), and John Kennedy (R-LA) to cap the cost of insulin at $35 per month for Americans with private and employer-sponsored insurance. The committee also approved an amendment to the bill that would create a pilot program to provide insulin at the same cost to uninsured Americans. The bipartisan INSULIN Act is supported by the American Diabetes Association, Breakthrough T1D, the Endocrine Society, the National Kidney Foundation, AARP, and several other groups. This bill advanced by a vote of 17 to 5.

• Rural Obstetrics Readiness Act - Click HERE to watch and HERE to download Senator Collins' remarks on this bill.
• • A bill introduced by Senators Collins, Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Katie Britt (R-AL), and Tina Smith (D-MN) that would help prepare rural hospitals and practitioners to handle obstetric emergencies as more labor and delivery units, particularly those in rural areas, are forced to close. The bill would provide funds to rural health care facilities to develop obstetric emergency training programs and establish a pilot program for urgent maternal telehealth services. This bill advanced by a vote of 21 to 1.

• Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act - Click HERE to watch and HERE to download Senator Collins' remarks on this bill.
• • A bill introduced by Senators Collins, Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) that would reauthorize, update, and improve critical programs under Title VIII of the Public Health Service Act. The bill would support nursing education, expand access to clinical training, and help schools prepare more students for careers in nursing, addressing nursing workforce needs in education, practice, recruitment, and retention. This bill advanced by a vote of 21 to 1.

The following bills were included as part of the Educating Medical Professionals and Optimizing Workforce Efficiency and Readiness (EMPOWER) for Health Act, which advanced today by a vote of 21 to 1:

Click HERE to watch and HERE to download Senator Collins' remarks on this bill.

• Geriatrics Workforce Improvement Act
• • This bill, introduced by Senators Collins and Tim Kaine (D-VA), would reauthorize funding for the Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Program and the Geriatrics Academic Career Awards through 2031. These programs train the current health care workforce and family caregivers while developing emerging leaders in geriatric education and clinical care.

• Public Health and Bio-Preparedness Workforce Loan Repayment Reauthorization Act
• • This bill, introduced by Senators Collins and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), would reauthorize the Bio-Preparedness Workforce Loan Repayment Program through 2031. The program provides student loan repayment opportunities for health professionals with expertise in infectious diseases and emergency preparedness and response while helping address workforce recruitment and retention challenges and better preparing the American health care system for future public health emergencies.

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