WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) — There’s a bipartisan effort in the Senate to cap insulin prices, and lawmakers pushing it believe it’s gaining momentum.
Georgia native Lacy McGee was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes when she was 17. Since then, she’s relied on insulin to live.
“12ish years with diabetes has been very marked by how difficult and expensive this disease is,” McGee said.
During times when she’s had insurance, she’s struggled to afford it. When she hasn’t had insurance, she’s been forced to scour Facebook pages, meet sellers in parking lots, or rely on friends with leftover insulin from dead relatives.
“All I wanted was to manage my diabetes and it felt like no matter what I tried everything was another obstacle to try to get my medication,” McGee said.
Now McGee says she’s on an insurance plan which gives her more reliable access to the drug. But she knows the lack of accessibility still effects millions of others.
“It places people with chronic illness into a life of almost constant fear worrying about where they’re going to get their medications from,” McGee said.
Now Democrat Senator Raphael Warnock and Republican Senator John Kennedy are pushing to pass a bill to cap out of pocket insulin costs at $35 a month.
“It’s not a luxury, it’s not a convenience. It’s a matter of life and death,” Warnock said.
They say the bill would cover both insured and uninsured Americans.
“The only qualification is you have to be diabetic. And I’m sorry if you are, but by God we’re going to help you,” Kennedy said.
The legislation includes an offset to guarantee it’s paid for.
However, the lawmakers argue the country can’t afford not to address this. That’s because untreated diabetes causes other health issues, leads to expensive hospitalizations, and keeps people out of work.
“If you do the math, it will cost us a lot more as a country not to do this,” Warnock said.
The bill has support from both parties, so the senators say they’re just waiting for a vote.
“I’m ready. I’m ready to saddle up and go,” Kennedy said.
If it passes, McGee says it would be a gamechanger.
“Having peace of mind and protections for people like us would help to save our lives,” McGee said.
