Shaheen presses Senate to cap insulin costs
Close
Thank you for signing up!
The latest in politics and policy. Direct to your inbox. Sign up for the Health Care newsletter
Click in for more news from The Hill
{beacon}
Healthcare
Healthcare
The Big Story
Shaheen makes last-minute insulin pitch
Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) is pressing Senate leadership to hold a floor vote on bipartisan legislation to cap insulin costs in private insurance before lawmakers leave town until after the midterm election.
© Greg Nash
“President Trump campaigned on immediately lowering costs for the American people, yet he’s done just the opposite. With millions of American families facing spiking prices as a result of this Administration’s disastrous health care policies, my INSULIN Act is one immediate step Congress can take to directly lower costs for millions of Americans,” Shaheen said in a statement Monday.
The veteran lawmaker is retiring and wants to get the legislation across the finish line before the end of the year. Shaheen has also personally spoken to the White House about the measure, and staff-level conversations have been ongoing since, according to a Democratic aide.
The legislation would out-of-pocket costs for insulin at $35 for people with commercial insurance, expanding a cap for people on Medicare that passed in President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act in 2022. It would also create a pilot program in 10 states to cap costs for uninsured people.
The bill, which is led by Shaheen, Sens. Susan Collins (R-Maine), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) and John Kennedy (R-La.). passed the Senate Health Education, Labor and Pensions Committee by a vote of 17-5 in July. In total, it has 28 co-sponsors divided equally between the parties — meaning there are 60 votes in the Senate if all Democrats vote for it.
While the effort likely won’t yield a vote this week, the most likely path forward would be including the measure as part of a year-end spending bill. Discussions are also happening about attaching the measure to the must-pass defense policy and spending authorization bill.
A bipartisan House version was introduced earlier this month by Reps. Diana DeGette (D-Colo.), Angie Craig (D-Minn.), Kim Schrier (D-Wash.), Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-Iowa) and Rob Bresnahan (R-Pa.). Miller-Meeks and Bresnahan face competitive reelection races.
There’s no guarantee the measure will pass. Lawmakers have discussed the idea of an insulin cap for years but haven’t been able to get legislation over the finish line over GOP resistance to government setting prices.
Notably, HELP committee Chair Bill Cassidy (R-La.) voted against the bill, arguing it created an unnecessary and duplicative government grant program.
Cassidy noted many community health centers already provide deeply discounted insulin to patients who need it and criticized the federal drug pricing program that he says hospitals are abusing.
Welcome to The Hill’s Healthcare newsletter, we’re Nathaniel Weixel and Joseph Choi — every week we follow the latest moves on how Washington impacts your health.
Did someone forward you this newsletter? Subscribe here.
Essential Reads
How policy will be impacting the healthcare sector this week and beyond:
Pennsylvania surpasses 900 measles cases
Pennsylvania on Monday surpassed 900 measles cases, after adding more than 100 additional cases in the past week. The Pennsylvania Department of Health updated its measles dashboard Monday, putting the total number of cases in the state at 903, after 115 new infections were recorded in the past week. Pennsylvania is currently reporting the highest total number of measles cases in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease …
Full Story
Senate Democratic PAC hits Collins over Medicaid cuts she voted against
A Democratic super PAC on Monday launched a new ad campaign attacking Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) for the closure of about a dozen birthing centers in Maine, arguing she helped enable the massive Medicaid cuts in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act even though she voted against the legislation. The Senate Majority PAC, which supports efforts to establish a Democratic majority in the Senate, announced a $2 million ad campaign to …
Full Story
Blood pressure medication recalled nationwide under FDA’s Class II risk level
(NEXSTAR) – If you are one of millions of Americans taking medication to lower blood pressure, you may want to check the label. Inventia Healthcare Limited, based in Mumbai, India, is voluntarily recalling 13,567 bottles of chlorthalidone tablets that may not dissolve properly, potentially lowering the dosage that gets absorbed by the body. The bottles of 25 mg tablets being recalled nationwide have the batch number RISA24002 …
Full Story
On Our Radar
Upcoming news themes and events we’re watching:
Surgeon General nominee Nicole Saphier’s HELP Committee confirmation vote will be Wednesday, after it was delayed last week.
In Other News
Branch out with a different read:
New SNAP benefit amounts take effect Oct. 1: Here’s how much
(NEXSTAR) – Starting Oct. 1, new eligibility rules and updated benefit amounts will take effect for the estimated 37 million Americans receiving SNAP assistance. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as Food Stamps, helps lower-income households afford groceries. Every month, participants see their benefit amount loaded onto an EBT debit card. The amount recipients receive monthly is about …
Full Story
Around the Nation
Local and state headlines on healthcare:
Once described as obesity medicines for ‘patients,’ GLP-1s are increasingly lifestyle drugs for ‘customers’ (Stat)
Food safety finds a place among ‘kitchen-table’ political issues (KFF Health News)
Cheese recalled nationwide amid E. coli outbreak (NBC News)
What We’re Reading
Health news we’ve flagged from other outlets:
State awards nearly $170M to rural healthcare providers (Colorado Politics)
Over 300 Virginia doctors endorse state constitutional amendment protecting reproductive healthcare (13newsnow.com)
Alaska to launch second funding round for Rural Health Transformation Program (Anchorage Daily News)
What People Think
Opinions related to health submitted to The Hill:
The vital vaccine shield America cannot afford to lose
Let’s fix healthcare costs before the socialists try to do it
You’re all caught up. See you tomorrow!
to like, bookmark, and comment.
Comments
Join the conversation:
No comments yet. Be the first to share your thoughts.