Endocrine Society calls on Congress to address insulin prices in Build Back Better Act

The Endocrine Society is encouraged by reports that there is agreement to include provisions improving insulin affordability in the Build Back Better Act.

The Build Back Better Act represents the best, and possibly last, opportunity to address the high price of insulin and other prescription drugs in the coming years. We urge Congress to meaningfully ensure access to affordable insulin in the Build Back Better Act because Americans who rely on insulin cannot afford to wait any longer.

We understand the agreement includes the following provisions that the Endocrine Society supports:

• Caps insulin co-pays at $35 per month for Medicare beneficiaries.
• Institutes an inflation cap ensuring that the price of insulin doesn’t increase faster than inflation. This would apply to Medicare and the private insurance market.
  

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the discovery of insulin. Despite this milestone, insulin remains unaffordable for many who rely on it. For millions of Americans living with diabetes, including all people living with type 1 diabetes, insulin is a life-saving drug that must be taken to control blood sugar. Yet, insulin prices have nearly tripled over the past 15 years and continue to increase.

Price hikes impact not only Medicare beneficiaries, but people enrolled in private insurance as well. We have created a collection of patient stories shared by endocrinologists around the country illustrating that people with diabetes continue to suffer due to the high price of insulin. Access to insulin is literally a matter of life or death. 

About Endocrine Society

Endocrinologists are at the core of solving the most pressing health problems of our time, from diabetes and obesity to infertility, bone health, and hormone-related cancers. The Endocrine Society is the world’s oldest and largest organization of scientists devoted to hormone research and physicians who care for people with hormone-related conditions.

The Society has more than 18,000 members, including scientists, physicians, educators, nurses, and students in 122 countries. To learn more about the Society and the field of endocrinology, visit our site at www.endocrine.org. Follow us on X (formerly Twitter) at @TheEndoSociety and @EndoMedia.