Kentucky governor pushing for passage of insulin cost bill

Legislation that would cut costs for nearly 600,000 Kentuckians suffering from diabetes is making its way through the state’s General Assembly, and Governor Andy Beshear is pushing for it to pass.

Back in the summer, a bipartisan bill co-sponsored by Rep. Danny Bentley (R-Russell) was filed that would curb the costs of insulin.

House Bill 12 would cap the cost sharing requirements of prescription insulin at $100 per 30-day supply.

Beshear says the price of insulin has tripled over the last decade. He says while insulin companies pay $2 to $7 to manufacture one vial of insulin, a patient may have to pay more than $1,000 a month.

“I pre-filed this bill in June because I know firsthand the struggle diabetics face,” said Bentley. “We have made big strides in our work to make quality health care more accessible, particularly with the passage of Kevin’s Law last session. However, we still have a great deal left to accomplish. As a diabetic and a pharmacist, I am appalled that a pharmaceutical company expects individuals to pay hundreds of dollars for insulin when it costs just a small fraction of that to manufacture. I think we have to recognize that there is a difference between making a profit and exploiting a great need.”

“Health care is a human right, but tragically right now there are far too many Kentuckians who are at risk of losing their life or permanently damaging their health because they cannot afford their daily supply of insulin,” said Beshear. “This is unacceptable and dangerous and lawmakers can act by immediately passing legislation to help thousands of fellow Kentuckians. Let’s let Kentucky be one of the first to act. We need to cap insulin costs because it’s the right thing to do.”

Colorado and Illinois have both passed laws that cap insulin costs and co-pays.

West Virginia and Ohio lawmakers have also introduced legislation similar to what’s been introduced in Kentucky.