The Kentucky House of Representatives passed House Bill 12 Wednesday, which puts a cap on out-of-pocket costs paid by diabetics using insulin to stay alive. The bill was passed unanimously on a 92-0 vote and will go to the Senate next.
This legislation will cap costs at $100 per insulin prescription and will apply to those with commercial health insurance.
Diabetes is currently the seventh-leading cause of death in the US and accounts for more than 79,000 deaths annually. It contributes to deaths from heart disease and stroke, which are the leading and fifth-leading causes of death, respectively, and is the leading cause of kidney failure, non-traumatic lower limb amputations and blindness among adults.
According to America’s Health Rankings, those diagnosed with diabetes currently pay twice as much in direct medical costs compared to those without the disease.
In Kentucky, the prevalence of diabetes among adults has increased from 6.5 percent (240,000 adults) in 2000 to 12.9 percent (442,480) in 2017. In 2016, Kentucky had the fourth-highest mortality rate due to diabetes in the nation.
Insulin is used to keep peoples’ blood sugar at safe levels. In the past 14 years, the price of insulin has increased by more than 550% when adjusted for inflation. According to Republican Rep. Danny Bentely, the bill’s lead sponsor and a diabetic himself, some people with diabetes can’t afford insulin or ration supplies because of costs.
Hardest-hit families currently pay more than $1,000 a month for insulin, he said.
