Press Releases

WASHINGTON, DC—Today, Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) and the U.S. House of Representatives passed lifesaving legislation to cap out-of-pocket costs for insulin at $35 per month under Medicare and private insurance plans. The Affordable Insulin Now Act would urgently address the skyrocketing cost of insulin and take an important step toward easing the burden of prescription drug costs that weighs on working families.  

“Every day, millions of Americas with diabetes struggle to pay for insulin, often having no choice but to ration or skip doses altogether. This lifesaving medicine costs Big Pharma about $10 per vial to manufacture, but is sold for up 30 times that amount. The greed is sickening and deadly, and it must stop,” said Congresswoman Pingree. “With this important legislation, House Democrats are taking action to unburden many of those who rely on insulin. We need to follow it up with additional transformative legislation that will reduce drug prices for all Americans.” 

Modeled after similar provisions in the Build Back Better Act, this bill would guarantee that insured Americans don’t pay more than $35 per month for insulin out of pocket no matter their deductible.

In November 2021, the House passed the Build Back Better Act, which included provisions to lower drug costs and ensure insulin was capped at no more than $35 per month. Pingree and nearly 100 House Members later urged the Senate to retain and expand affordable insulin measures in the Build Back Better Act.

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