Congresswoman Barbara Lee Votes to Pass Affordable Insulin Now Act
Washington, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Barbara Lee voted to pass the Affordable Insulin Now Act, legislation that would cap the out-of-pocket cost of insulin at $35 a month.
“Right now, thousands of Americans struggle to afford potentially life-saving medicine due to the skyrocketing cost of insulin. 1 in 4 who rely on it to maintain their health have cut back or skipped doses due to cost, with some even dying from having to ration doses.
“There is no reason it should be so expensive. Americans pay more than 10 times the price of insulin compared to other similar high-income countries due to corporate price gouging. Deriving a profit at the expense of people’s health and wellbeing is inherently immoral and must be outlawed.
“The Affordable Insulin Now Act caps the cost of insulin at no more than $35 a month, ensuring vital and affordable access for the more than 37 million Americans living with diabetes. I am proud to have voted in support and urge my colleagues in the Senate to do the same. While this is an important step, we must do more to address the high costs of prescription drugs, including efforts that the House has supported in the past including allowing Medicare to negotiate the cost of prescription drugs.”
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Congresswoman Lee is a member of the House Appropriations Committee and Chair of the Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations. She serves as Co-Chair of the Steering & Policy Committee, former Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, Chair Emeritus of the Progressive Caucus, Co-Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus Health Task Force, and Co-Chair of the Pro-Choice Caucus. She also serves as Chair of the Majority Leader’s Task Force on Poverty and Opportunity. As a member of the House Democratic Leadership, she is the highest ranking Black woman in the U.S. Congress