Washington, D.C. — Today, Congresswoman Strickland voted for landmark legislation to deliver lower insulin costs for South Sound families. By capping out-of-pocket expenses, the Affordable Insulin Now Act will ensure that Washingtonians pay no more than $35 for a monthly supply of insulin.
“Across the South Sound, Washingtonians are paying way too much for insulin, risking their financial security for necessary medication,” Strickland said. “No American should have to go bankrupt because of extreme insulin costs. That is why I was proud to support the Affordable Insulin Now Act, which will ensure that no family pays more than $35 for insulin each month. I urge the Senate to pass this bill quickly and send it to President Biden for his signature.”
Rising by 54 percent from 2014 to 2019, the cost of insulin has created an affordability crisis for the 8.5 percent of Washingtonians living with diabetes. Americans currently face an average price of $98.70 for a unit of insulin — ten times higher than in other wealthy nations. One in four Americans who rely on insulin has been forced to ration doses due to high prices, the last resort with potentially fatal consequences.
The Affordable Insulin Now Act will require private health insurance plans to cover insulin, limiting monthly cost-sharing to $35 or 25 percent of a plan’s negotiated price – whichever is lower. It also requires Medicare prescription drug plans to limit cost-sharing for insulin to $35 per month. This legislation comes as House Democrats continue working to advance comprehensive reform addressing the high cost of prescription drugs.
U.S. Representative Marilyn Strickland serves on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and is the only African-American woman who serves on the House Armed Services Committee. She is a member of the New Democrat Coalition, is one of the first Korean-American women elected to Congress, and is the first African-American elected to represent the Pacific Northwest at the federal level.
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