After House vote, insulin price cap bill faces uncertain future in Senate

WASHINGTON (Gray DC) - Weeks after President Joe Biden called on Congress to cap the price of insulin, the House passed legislation to do exactly that, capping the out-of-pocket cost for the essential drug at $35 per month for people with private insurance and Medicare.

At a press conference before Thursday’s vote, Rep. Dan Kildee (D-Mich.) said too many people living with diabetes are finding life-saving insulin to be out of reach because they can’t afford it.

Kildee said, “The idea that some families don’t have even access to a 100-year-old drug, it’s just unconscionable.”

What happens in the Senate is still unknown.

Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) already introduced the Affordable Insulin Now Act in the Senate. The bill has support from 34 senators, but no Republicans yet.

Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) said she is working on a separate, bipartisan bill, with Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), to lower the overall cost of insulin which would also help those who don’t have insurance.

Collins said, “We want to produce as comprehensive bill as possible that will help as many people who are insulin dependent as possible.”

Sen. Collins’ office said there’s an agreement on the framework of the bill, but they are still ironing out the legislative text. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said that he supports both efforts to lower the cost of insulin, and wants a vote after Easter.

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