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SALT LAKE CITY — A bill that would deliver some financial relief to diabetes patients and their families got one step closer to becoming law in the Utah Legislature on Thursday.
The House Health and Human Services Committee approved HB207, sponsored by Rep. Norm Thurston, R-Provo, that puts a cap on the amount certain insurance plans can charge for a month’s supply of lifesaving insulin.
HB207 would cap copays for insulin at $100 per month.
The problem with the bill, according to Kelly Atkinson, director at the Utah Health Insurance Association, is that it does nothing to push overall costs down.
“It curtails the cost to the public,” he said, but “the pharmaceutical companies control the cost of insulin.”
Related:
Utah lawmakers tackle skyrocketing insulin costs
Dozens of Utahns testified before members of the Health and Human Services Committee on Thursday, pleading for help with the rising cost of life-saving insulin.“Insurance companies are just as guilty of keeping this money,” said Rep. Paul Ray, R-Clearfield. He said the cost for certain drugs is higher because insurers negotiate hefty rebates on the medications. Atkinson, however, said those rebates are passed to the consumer via reduced premiums.
Rep. Brad Daw, R-Taylorsville, said the bill was “a very innovative and thoughtful approach” to a problem that plagues a lot of Utahns, as Type 1 diabetes is quite common.
“I think it will move the needle significantly,” he said. “This has some really good provisions that will really help the consumer when it comes to insulin.”
After some work involving compromise and clarification in recent weeks, the bill on Thursday was unanimously supported by the committee and will move to the full House for consideration.
2020 Utah Legislative Session
