Rep. Payne, Jr. Lowers Insulin Prices to $35 Per Month         

Washington, D.C. — Today, Rep. Donald M. Payne, Jr. helped pass the Affordable Insulin Now Act.  The bill, H.R. 6833, caps the out-of-pocket costs for insulin at $35 per month for Medicare plans and private insurance plans.  As a diabetic, Rep. Payne, Jr. understands the importance of affordable insulin to the lives of the more than 37 million diabetics in America.  Insulin prices are much higher in the United States compared to other countries.  For example, a single unit of insulin costs almost $100 in the U.S. compared to $12 for the same unit in Canada.

“American prices for insulin are outrageous and need to be lowered to match prices in other countries,” said Rep. Donald M. Payne, Jr.  “We have diabetics in America who ration insulin or stop using it for days in order to save money for food and rent.  These are life-threatening financial decisions.  No American should have to choose between food or medicine.  This bill will make insulin affordable and better the lives of more than 73,000 diabetics in my district and millions of Americans nationwide.  We need the Senate to pass this life-saving bill soon to help these Americans.”

Rep. Payne, Jr. has been a strong supporter of bills that would lower the price of insulin and other critical medications.  He fought to include a provision to lower the cost of insulin to $35 per month in the Build Back Better Act, which passed the U.S. House of Representatives.  In addition, he voted for the Elijah E. Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act (H.R. 3).  This bill would allow the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to negotiate lower prices on many of the nation’s highest-priced drugs and insulin products.

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