The Trump administration says most people with Medicare will have access to prescription plans next year that limit their copays for insulin to a maximum of $35 a month.
Bernie Sanders strengthens his strategy for approaching mini Super Tuesday and how important a Michigan win is for his chances of competing with Joe Biden.
Stable copays for insulin are the result of a deal shepherded by the administration between insulin manufacturers and major insurers, Medicare chief Seema Verma told The Associated Press. The three major suppliers, Eli Lilly, Novo Nordisk and Sanofi, were all involved. The cost of insulin is one the biggest worries for consumers generally concerned about high prices for brand name drugs. Millions of people with diabetes use insulin to keep their blood sugars within normal ranges and stave off complications that can include heart disease, blindness, kidney failure and amputations. People with diabetes also suffer worse outcomes from COVID-19.
The fate of drug pricing legislation ultimately seems to rest with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who has a much more ambitious plan for Medicare to negotiate prices for the costliest drugs, not just insulin. Pelosi would use expected savings to provide vision, dental and hearing coverage for older adults. Most Republicans oppose that approach as an expansion of government price-setting.
Verma, head of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, said 1,750 insurance plans that offer drug coverage to Medicare recipients have agreed to provide insulin for a maximum copay of $35 a month next year. It will be available through “enhanced” plans that may cost more per month but offer additional benefits such as reduced cost-sharing on certain drugs. The cap on copays is expected to lead to a small increase in premiums.
Medicare's prescription drug benefit is offered by private insurers, either as a stand-alone “Part D” drug plan added to traditional Medicare, or as part of a managed care plan under Medicare Advantage. The taxpayer-subsidized private plans are closely regulated by the government, but by law Medicare is barred from negotiating drug prices — something Democrats including presidential candidate Joe Biden want to change.
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White House announces plan to cap insulin costs at $35 a month for senior Medicare enrolleesMost senior Medicare recipients will be able to get prescription plans that cap copay costs for insulin, allowing them access to various types of insulins at no more than a $35 copay for a month's supply, the White House announced during a call with reporters on Tuesday.
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