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Tuesday, February 04, 2020

Bill to cap insulin insurance co-pays at $30 passes in Virginia House

RICHMOND, Va. (WAVY) — A bill that would prohibit insurance companies from charging more than a $30 co-pay for a 30-day supply of insulin passed the Virginia House of Delegates on Tuesday.

The vote for Delegate Lee Carter’s HB 66 was nearly unanimous at 98-1. Delegate Matthew Fariss (59th District) voted no, and Delegate Nick Freitas (30th District) did not vote.

The bill now awaits approval by both the State Senate and Governor Ralph Northam.

It comes as insurance prices have skyrocketed in the past two decades for the more than 7.5 million diabetic Americans who rely on it, despite no change to the drug, with the average price for a 20-milliliter vial going from about $20 to more than $250, according to a House of Representatives report in March 2019. The price of a vial tripled between 2002 and 2013, and nearly doubled from 2012 to 2016.

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4 comments:

Anonymous said...

The drug will still cost the same. Insureres will pass on the cost on in the monthly premiums within the state. The drug company still makes their profit.

Anonymous said...

11:50
Not only that but if you have a policy that integrates prescriptions (like I do ) you pay full price until you hit your deductible.

Urgent care center prescribed an inhaler that cost $400
I did not get the rx filled.

The broker didn't bother to explain how the policy actually worked, but based on my current Rx's it was not a problem until I got bronchitis.

My doctor kindly gave me one for free.

Anonymous said...

sounds good, but it will just raise premiums

Anonymous said...

That is outrageous. Do you ever notice that when a Doctor prescribes a medication that they always go for the most expensive. That's because the get "legal" kickbacks to push the drug. No kidding they do. That's why sometimes your Doctor will give you free samples. It's from the drug pushers. It's all legal.