WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Rev. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., commended the U.S. House of Representatives for passing its Affordable Insulin Now Act, which would limit the co-payment for insulin and insulin products to $35 per month. Warnock had previously called on the House of Representatives to take up and pass its legislation and urged the Senate to follow the House’s lawsuit by introducing the bill that would lower insulin costs for many of the more than 37 million Americans — including more than 1 million Georgians – live with diabetes.
“If you need insulin, you need insulin. It’s not just an inconvenience if you can’t access it,” Warnock said. “And for the hard-working families in my church and the common people I know, people are paying record prices while drug companies are making record profits. That’s why I introduced the Affordable Insulin Now Act, and I’m glad the House took a big step today to make my bill law in the country. The bill is now entering the Senate and I will use every means at my disposal to get it across the finish line.”
Following the passage of the bill, Warnock participated in a virtual roundtable with Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., chair of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, bringing together insulin users and parents from Georgia and Washington state about their Fight to Lower discussed the cost of life-saving prescription drugs for patients — including by lowering the cost of insulin for Georgians and Americans living with diabetes. Leslie Dach, chair of the National Health Care Advocacy Organization, also spoke about the importance of reducing the cost of prescription drugs to make health care more affordable.
During the event, Warnock underscored the urgent need to bring prescription drug costs down for patients, championed his legislation to do just that, and made it clear – particularly given the bipartisan interest in the issue – that he was determined to support a Finding a way to lower the cost of insulin so everyone who needs the drug can afford it.
During the roundtable, Warnock and Murray heard from voters sharing how exorbitant insulin costs – which have tripled in the past decade – are forcing them to make unacceptable sacrifices and compromises.
“I’m a 13-year-old Georgia public school teacher and the proud mother of three boys who have significant medical conditions,” said Shannon Bjorneby, a Darien mom whose son was recently diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. “Our Type 1 journey began last summer when my kids went to their annual checkups and my son James was officially diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. I was very fortunate to have put the full amount of money into my health savings account last year and was able to afford the $900 co-payments to get him home from the hospital. That’s a lot for a family like mine on a public school teaching salary.
“As Americans, we shouldn’t have to choose between a roof over our heads, our children’s braces or glasses, food or insulin to keep a loved one alive.”
As well as urging the Senate to begin its legislation, Warnock has been in regular contact with his colleagues on both sides of the aisle for weeks, pushing for a bipartisan deal to cut insulin costs for Georgians, which includes his cap proposal – Bag costs $35 per month.
“The cost of prescription drugs like insulin has skyrocketed,” Warnock said. “And it’s time for Congress to do something about it — to act to bring down the cost of this life-saving drug and others for the people who need them.”
