Bill would cap soaring insulin prices for diabetics
COLUMBUS, Ohio — State lawmakers unveiled a plan Thursday to cap the soaring prices of insulin for diabetics. The bill would limit the price to $100 a month. Currently, many patients pay between $600 and $1200 for it. Supporters of the legislation said a quarter of diabetics have rationed their insulin because of the price, which can lead too much more serious health complications.
“We need help," said Antroinette Worsham, a Cincinnati mom of two daughters who have Type 1 diabetes. "Insulin doesn’t cost that much to produce. Why are they killing Americans?”
Worsham's oldest daughter died from diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), a common complication for people who don't use enough insulin.
“I lost my daughter due to high drug costs, 22 years of age," she said. "She worked two jobs, and we still couldn’t afford the insulin.”
Her younger daughter has affordable insulin because of a state program, but she will age out of it in two years.
“It’s not fair," she said. "I don’t want that to happen to my daughter. I don’t want any more Type 1 diabetics die because they can’t afford their insulin.”
Rep. Dr. Beth Liston (D - Dublin) introduced a series of bills, one of them capping the prices of insulin. She's also asking the Ohio attorney general to investigate pricing practices.
“The costs have been rising," Liston said. "It’s not clear why, and we need to do something about it.”
Liston said she sees patients every day with DKA.
“Sometimes it’s because they’re sick and their body needs more insulin but more and more it’s because people aren’t able to get their insulin," she said.
Worsham said she's driven to Canada to buy insulin for a tenth of the price she pays at home. She wants pharmaceutical companies to explain why the price keeps going up.
“They’re killing Americans and it should be illegal," Worsham said. "It’s time for the government to step in.”
Liston and fellow Franklin County Democrat Sen. Hearcel Craig are sponsoring the legislation outlined Thursday. They said they have Republican co-sponsors, so they're hopeful it will have enough support to pass.