Kaine Joins Bipartisan Legislation to Cap Insulin Costs

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA), a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, announced his cosponsorship of the INSULIN Act, bipartisan legislation that would cap insulin costs at $35 per month for those with private insurance and create a pilot program to make insulin more accessible to those without insurance.

"Far too many Virginians and people throughout the country have to ration their insulin, or even go without it, because of how expensive it is," said Kaine. "That's why I'm proud to cosponsor this bipartisan legislation to cap insulin prices at $35 a month for people with private insurance and take strides toward making sure those without insurance can afford the insulin they need - building on the progress made under the Biden Administration to cap insulin costs for those on Medicare. I encourage all of my Senate colleagues to support this commonsense legislation that would meaningfully improve so many lives."

The INSULIN Act would directly address the root causes of high list prices in the insulin market by improving competition and increasing access to insulin products. Specifically, the INSULIN Act would:

• Limit out-of-pocket costs for patients with diabetes by requiring that group and individual market health plans waive any deductible and limit any cost-sharing to at most $35 per month for at least one insulin of each type and dosage form;
• Mandate that Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) pass through 100 percent of insulin rebates and other discounts received from manufacturers to plan sponsors, which would reduce perverse incentives in the insulin market that encourage high list prices, and would lower premiums for patients;
• Promote biosimilar and generic competition to lower costs for patients;
• Create a pilot grant program for 10 states to implement programs to identify uninsured diabetes patients and provide them with insulin at $35 per month; and
• Establish an insulin resource center and hotline for uninsured diabetes patients to connect them with resources about diabetes and programs to help them get the insulin they need.

The INSULIN Act is supported by the American Diabetes Association, Breakthrough T1D, the Diabetes Advocacy Alliance, the Diabetes Leadership Council, the Diabetes Patient Advocacy Council, the DiaTribe Foundation, the Endocrine Society, the National Kidney Foundation, the Time in Range Coalition, and You're Just My Type.

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