Congresswoman Angie Craig Pushes Leadership to Include Critical Insulin Bill
As the House Considers the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), Craig Urges the Inclusion of the Bipartisan Insulin Affordability Data Collection Act
Today, U.S. Rep. Angie Craig spoke on the House floor urging leadership to include her bipartisan and bicameral bill aimed to require an examination of the health and economic impacts of skyrocketing insulin prices. The bipartisan bill would require the government to study and report the scope of the problems created across healthcare by the rise in insulin costs, which are up more than 600% in recent years and have increasingly led to patient rationing of the drug.
You can watch her floor remarks here.
"Minnesotans are dying because of the real-life impact of the cost of insulin and other life-saving prescription drugs," said Rep. Craig (MN-02). "I ask House leadership to include legislation, already included in the Senate's version of NDAA, to examine, for the first time, the broader impacts of insulin price increases on the lives of folks with diabetes so that we can work together to better understand and solve the crisis." Align with my other changes.
The Insulin Affordability Data Collection Act, authored in the Senate by Sen. Tina Smith, would require the HHS Secretary through the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE) to conduct a study that examines the impact of the affordability of insulin on individuals who are insulin-dependent. Specifically, this study will investigate the impact of the affordability of insulin products on:
● Adherence to insulin prescriptions;
● Rates of diabetic ketoacidosis;
● Downstream impacts of insulin adherence (e.g. rates of dialysis treatment and end-stage renal disease);
● Spending by Medicare, Medicaid and other Federal health programs on acute care episodes that could be averted by adhering to an insulin prescription; and
● Other factors, as appropriate.
During the amendment debate, Rep. Craig also spoke on her amendment to add $30 million to the Army Community Services account to provide family assistance, victim advocacy, financial counseling, employment readiness and other similar support services. A vote on NDAA is expected tomorrow.