Diabetes, Healthcare Organizations Join President Biden in Calls for Insulin Co-Pay Caps

Major healthcare organizations in diabetes and endocrinology have released statements in support of the insulin cap referenced by President Joe Biden in his State of the Union address on March 1.

With official statements released by the American Diabetes Association (ADA), the Endocrine Society, and others, organizations are hopeful increased attention will spur action and encourage members of the diabetes community to urge their elected officials to support the Affordable Insulin Now Act, which would institute a $35 per month insulin co-pay cap.

“It’s time to pass a national co-pay cap to bring economic relief to millions of Americans forced to stretch beyond their means every month to pay for their insulin,” said the ADA in their official statement.

During the State of the Union address, President Biden made not of a 13-year-old-boy named Joshua Davis among the audience. A child with type 1 diabetes, President Biden used the struggles of Davis’ family to afford insulin co-pays and highlight the contrast between the cost to manufacture insulin compared to the price charged to insulin users.

“Our position statement recommends an array of different policy options, many of which Congress should pass today, to lower the price and consumer out-of-pocket costs of insulin,” reads the Endocrine Society statement. “Members of Congress from both political parties have acknowledged access to affordable insulin is a problem. Rising costs have increased health disparities in the country and have particularly jeopardized the health of minorities, low-income individuals, people on high-deductible health plans, Medicare beneficiaries, and those who must transition from their parents’ insurance after turning 26.”

In addition to calling for caps in insulin co-pays, President Biden also touched on other measures to improve healthcare in the US. These included calling for support of the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health and detailing a strategy to improve mental and behavioral healthcare through improved mental health services.

“Our healthcare system has been under unprecedented and unsustainable strain for the last two years. The strain from the COVID-19 pandemic has been layered on top of what was already a dysfunctional system. We need to make improvements and President Biden’s proposals are a step toward advancing many of our health care goals,” reads the American College of Physicians (ACP) statement, which was attributable to George Abraham, MD, MPH, president of the ACP.