Washington, DC—During Diabetes Month, Representative Lucy McBath (GA-06) joined Angie Craig (MN-02), Greg Landsman (OH-01), Steven Horsford (NV-04), and Kim Schrier (WA-08) to introduce the Affordable Insulin Now Act to help Americans with private insurance afford insulin.
The bill would extend the $35 insulin cap for seniors on Medicare—also led by McBath—that was passed into law through the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). As the Education and Workforce Committee lead of this legislation, McBath continues to stand up for America’s families so they can live full, healthy lives.
“No person should be forced to skip or ration medication because they cannot afford it,” said Rep. McBath. “With health care affordability concerns more relevant than ever, we must work with urgency to address some of the most common medical expenses that strain American household budgets. I am grateful to my colleagues for our continued work to drive down the cost of insulin for all who need it.”
“For years, pharmaceutical companies have raked in record profits by price gouging consumers – forcing everyday Minnesotans to make the impossible choice between picking up lifesaving prescriptions and putting food on the table,” said Rep. Craig. “We have seen over time that the pressure we’ve put on Big Pharma is working, and this bill is the next step in our fight to make insulin affordable for every American who needs it.”
“Insulin is a lifesaving medication, but every day in this country people are forced to make drastic financial decisions just to afford it,” said Rep. Landsman. “Americans deserve affordable healthcare, and we have to finish the job of capping insulin costs, so no one has to struggle to survive.”
“High insulin prices can cost someone their life,” said Rep. Horsford. “I’m proud to partner with Representatives Craig, Landsman, McBath, and Schrier to make sure this critical medication is accessible and affordable to all who need it. State lawmakers in Nevada passed a bill ensuring affordable insulin prices earlier this summer, and the bill we’re introducing today will expand that effort nationally. As tens of millions of Americans stand to lose health care coverage from Republican ‘Big Beautiful’ bill cuts and their refusal to extend health care tax credits, there has never been a more important time to pass the Affordable Insulin Now Act into law.”
“As a doctor and someone who has lived with type 1 diabetes for over four decades, I have seen how the price of insulin has skyrocketed over the years and know firsthand the pressure that these price hikes have put on patients,” said Rep. Schrier, M.D. “Unaffordable insulin has even forced some to ration or go completely without the medication their lives depend on, with deadly consequences. I was proud to work with my colleagues to cap the cost of insulin for those on Medicare, and I am thrilled to continue our work to lower the price of this lifesaving medication for millions more.”
The bill is also endorsed by Protect Our Care, the American Diabetes Association, Social Security Works and Breakthrough T1D.
“No one should go bankrupt buying the insulin that keeps them alive,” said Protect Our Care Director of Policy Programs Vaishu Jawahar. “By capping what privately insured Americans pay out-of-pocket for insulin, the Affordable Insulin Now Act extends a critical lifeline to diabetics and their families. While Donald Trump and Republicans in Congress continue driving up drug costs and padding drug company profits, this legislation will save lives and make health care more affordable for everyday Americans.”
“The ADA supports the Affordable Insulin Now Act, which would limit out-of-pocket cost for insulin at $35 a month for individuals with private health insurance,” said Catherine Ferguson, Vice President for Federal Advocacy, the American Diabetes Association. “This bill is a critical step to ensure people with diabetes who need insulin to live can afford it.”
“No one should suffer, go bankrupt, or die because big pharma billionaires are price gouging the insulin they need to survive,” said Alex Lawson, Executive Director, Social Security Works. “This bill is a critical step towards ensuring that insulin is affordable and protecting Americans from the criminally high prices that pharmaceutical companies charge.”
Since she first took her oath of office in Congress in 2019, Lucy McBath has had a strong focus on lowering health care and prescription drug costs. In 2022, a portion of the Affordable Insulin Now Act that capped insulin copays at $35 per month for Medicare recipients was signed into law, prompting all 3 major manufacturers to cap their costs.