Saud Anwar

Senator Anwar Applauds Passage of Bill to Cap Cost of Insulin and Diabetes Supplies

Today, the Senate Democratic Caucus passed legislation that will help residents in the state who have diabetes. The bill, contains several provisions to help patients and their families afford insulin. Senator Saud Anwar (D-South Windsor) today applauded the passage of a bill that will cap the out-of-pocket cost of insulin at $25 per month for those who have state regulated health plans. This bill also caps the cost of insulin-related supplies such as syringes, pumps, and glucose meters at $100 per month.

“What we have done today will provide relief to thousands of families in our state. Insulin costs have skyrocketed in the last two decades, and this legislation fights that unfair inflation,” said Sen. Anwar. “When as many as one in four Connecticut residents actually ration insulin to be able to afford it, we must take action, and I hope we can continue this momentum to help more people who are struggling.”

The bill authorizes pharmacists to prescribe and dispense up to a 30-day supply of insulin if a person has less than a seven-day supply and will otherwise not be able to obtain such insulin. Pharmacists will accept insurance or case payment. This option is available to patients once every 12-months and pharmacists will update the statewide prescription drug monitoring program to ensure.

These new implementations will now create a new affordable pathway for residents in Connecticut. As a state, we now have the lowest cap altogether, including insulin, noninsulin, equipment and devices. As this moves forward, we continue to try to help people who don’t have insurance using two different approaches. One being to obtain affordable insulin at community health centers and expanding Medicaid to cover folks who have Type 1 diabetes.

Under the federal 340 prescription drug program, individuals who receive health services from federally certified “covered entities,” have access to significantly reduced drug costs. Diabetics with high cost insulin are often good candidates for 340B discounts, especially those with high-deductible health plans. Unfortunately, many people struggling to pay for their insulin are not aware of the federal resources.

The bill establishes a working group to consider whether DSS should implement a new program that direct individuals with diabetes to covered entities. If established, the program would include an informational website that can inform individuals whether their prescribed insulin is available through the 340B program, and what the potential savings are. DSS, through the website, would arrange referrals to a covered entity for an appointment within 30 days.