FRANKFORT, Ky. (WDRB) -- A Kentucky lawmaker has pre-filed a bill that would limit how much some diabetics would pay for insulin.
Rep. Danny Bentley’s proposal would cap insurance co-pays for insulin at $100 for a 30-day supply.
“We’ve got people who are allotting their insulin and dying from it,” Bentley said. “That shouldn't happen in the United States.”
Angela Lautner, of the advocacy group Kentucky Insulin 4 All, said the bill would help improve access to the life-saving drug.
She said the issue became even more acute after the passage of “Kevin’s Law” during the 2019 legislative session. The law allows pharmacists to fill emergency 30-day supplies of insulin without a doctor’s prescription.
“We've spoken with several people that have tried to use Kevin's law here in Kentucky and, unfortunately, they've left the pharmacy without insulin still, because this vial of insulin costs over $300,” Lautner said.
But even the bill’s supporters said it would only impact a small percentage of Kentuckians who need insulin.
It would not apply to people on Medicare and Medicaid or those who are uninsured. It also would not affect those whose employer-sponsored health plan covers workers in states outside of Kentucky.
Lautner urged lawmakers to do even more.
“We need to have them seek a path to making sure every single person in Kentucky who needs insulin to stay alive has access to it without restriction, without begging, without paperwork,” she said.
Bentley, who is both a diabetic and a pharmacist, acknowledged the bill's limitations, but said it is a good start toward making insulin more affordable.
“We want to save lives,” said Bentley, a Republican from Russell.
Bentley said his bill could go through several changes before the 2020 session. He said some insurers are responding to nationwide pressure, and may voluntarily drop insulin co-pays to $25 a month.
Bentley and Lautner agreed that finding a solution to the rising cost of insulin is literally a matter of life and death for many.
“Lives are hanging in the balance,” Lautner said. “When we cannot get this vial of insulin, we die.”
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