For those with Type One Diabetes, having access to insulin is not a luxury, but rather, it is a necessity as it could be the difference between life and death. As this disease is a life-threatening one that arises in all ages when diagnosed, patients must take insulin. Insulin is the manufactured medicine that diabetes patients rely on as their pancreas no longer produces the essential insulin hormone in their bodies. This hormone is what the body depends on after breaking down carbohydrates as it moves glucose from the bloodstream and into the body’s cells. Without this hormone, there is a high risk for serious health problems. A vial of insulin costs around $175-$300 and the average insulin-dependent individual goes through two or three vials per month. Recently, the prices of insulin have only been increasing. The out-of-pocket pay could vary drastically due to the individual’s insurance and personal health needs. This uncertainty for many patients leaves the question of how they will afford their medicine. As for those who cannot afford such a considerable expense each month, they are left with no choice but to ration and skip their doses.
On Jan. 20, 2021, the Biden Administration placed a regulatory freeze to allow the “opportunity to review any new or pending rules.” They are using this time to review the executive orders that Trump signed before taking any further action and implementing them. The freeze of the order regarding insulin and EpiPens will be in place until March 22, when it will be up to the administration to decide their course of action. This order regarded the lowering costs of insulin and EpiPens within federally qualified health centers through the 340B program. In response, The American Diabetes Association stated that they “will continue to monitor the situation and engage with the Biden Administration to drive systemic policy change that makes insulin more affordable at the state and federal levels.”
While this freeze has gained attraction and responses across all social media platforms, there is still debate over this subject. While this is happening, insulin prices are still drastically higher than in recent years and prove to be a heavy burden for those individuals and their families. Another proposed reason for this increase, as explained by Sen. Chuck Grassley, can be seen from the manufacturers, health plans and pharmacy business managers’ practices (PBM). The desire for profits and increased competition between companies are directly impacting those affected individuals and have been for years. In the same article, it explains how “PBMs serve as a liaison between drug companies and health insurance companies, negotiating what insurance companies, pharmacies and patients pay for a drug,” and “a study published by the American Diabetes Association in 2018 showed that these negotiations encourage high list prices.”
While there is still debate over how this freeze has affected the prices or could in the future, there is always the national issue of the steadily rising insulin prices that impact the livelihood of the 35 million Americans who have diabetes, whether that be type one or type two. After all, this disease can only be managed by access to proper affordable medicines. If you are interested in learning more about diabetes, refer to the American Diabetes Association for more information.
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