Following Colorado’s lead earlier this year, Illinois became the second state to pass legislation to cap co-pays for insulin. After having been passed by the Illinois Senate by a 48-7 vote, SB 667 (Manar) was overwhelmingly passed by the Illinois House of Representatives with a 100-13 vote and awaits action by Governor J.B. Pritzker. The bill limits the total amount that a person is required to pay for a 30-day supply of insulin at an amount not to exceed $100, regardless of the quantity or type of insulin used to fill the prescription. The legislation allows for annual adjustments on the cap equal to the percentage change in the medical care component of the Consumer Price Index. SB 667 also requires the Illinois Department of Insurance, in conjunction with the Department of Human Services and the Department of Healthcare and Family Services, to produce a report that includes a summary of insulin pricing practices as well as public policy recommendations to control and prevent overpricing of prescription insulin. The report must be completed by November 1, 2020.  For more information about the Illinois legislation, please contact Gary Dougherty at gdougherty@diabetes.org.

Florida is also taking action to make insulin affordable with Senate Bill 116 (Cruz) and House Bill 109 (Duran), legislation that caps copays on insulin. ADA recently helped organize a lobby day in support of this important legislation. ADA National Board member, Otis Kirksey, Pharm D., and lead volunteers Meredith Rosser, Anastasia Albanese O’Neill, ARNP, PhD, CDE, and Brittany Bruggeman, MD, participated in the lobby day along with other advocates. The day included a press conference and visits with Florida legislators. SB 116 is scheduled for hearing in the Senate Committee on Banking and Insurance on December 10. For more information about the Florida legislation, please contact Veronica De La Garza at vdelagarza@diabetes.org.

ADA expects engagement on this issue in a high number of states in 2020. To find out what’s happening in your state, please contact your State Government Affairs Director (see below list) or Lisa Murdock, Vice President of State Government Affairs at lmurdock@diabetes.org.