Wednesday, may 22, the Governor of Colorado Jared Polis signed the bill, according to which a copayment (a fixed amount paid by the insured person for covered services) for insulin for persons with private insurance, will not exceed $100. Thus, the state became the first in the US, where at the legislative level has been introduced this pricing bound. At the time of signing the Policy stated that «in Colorado gone are the days of price gouging on insulin».
In the room the ceremony was attended by residents of the state suffering from diabetes, as well as the author of the bill, the representative of the state of Dylan Roberts, who due to this disease 3 years ago died brother Murphy Roberts.
«[This bill] we honor the memory of Murphy, and, of course, it is designed for 400 thousand residents of Colorado who live with diabetes every day,» said Policy before signing the bill.
At the national level in the period from 2002 to 2013, the price of insulin has almost tripled, and since then its value has continued to increase annually by 10% or more, forcing many diabetics to regulate their insulin. Because of this, some have been in hospitals and some have died.
Many residents of Colorado can count on the drugs manufactured only 3 companies. Roberts says that prices for insulin in these three producers are always growing. Limiting the price for those who have private insurance, the author of the new law hopes that more people will be able to spend their money on other needs and not on essential medicines.
«My little brother Murphy was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes when he was 10 years old,» says Roberts. «Just looking at the price of these vials of insulin, I knew, even in that [young] age, how big is this burden [for the family]».
Regarding the Roberts family, they are lucky: Murphy was able to afford to take medication for insurance. But many other families could not afford it. And although the new law would not have saved the life of his brother, Roberts is convinced that he can save other people’s lives in the future.
The new law also limits co-payments coverage provided for conducting the state’s attorney’s office a full investigation in relation to past increases in the prices of insulin and of the companies that produce these drugs. This investigation, according to Roberts, may help other States in their efforts to limit the price of insulin.
