A “lifesaving” medicine will be more affordable since Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt signed a measure Tuesday that passed both the state House and Senate.
House Bill 1019 will make insulin much cheaper than currently charged by pharmacies. Introduced by Rep. Rande Worthen, R-Lawton, the measure caps the price for a 30-day supply of the drug at $30 and $90 for a 90-day supply. Currently copays are based on individual insurance plans.
“It’s just a true benefit to anyone who needs that lifesaving medicine,” Worthen said. “Right now, people are paying $100 or more per prescription. It’s going to be a really big help for all Oklahomans who need insulin to function.”
The new law goes into effect Nov. 1, 2021.
About 200,000 Oklahomans have Type I diabetes, which requires daily usage of insulin. In addition, more than 450,000 Oklahoma adults suffer from diabetes, with more than a million others estimated to have pre-diabetes, according to the American Diabetes Association.
Diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death in Oklahoma, giving the state the fourth highest age-adjusted diabetes death rate in the nation. Diabetes is the leading cause of blindness, amputation, heart disease, kidney failure and early death—all of which are preventable with proper management.
Worthen noted that lawmakers tried to pass similar legislation in previous sessions, but their efforts failed.
“Insulin costs have been escalating out of sight and this is a medicine that’s been around 40 or 50 years, and now it’s out of sight,” he said.
Some state Capitol employees shared their stories with Worthen and Sen. Frank Simpson, R-Springer, who carried the bill in the Senate. Worthen said insurance companies were on board with the insulin legislation.
“They said, ‘This is what we can do’ and were happy with the numbers,” he said.
Oklahomans who are covered by Medicaid are not eligible for this change in the law, Worthen said.
Simpson, who lost his granddaughter to complications from Type I diabetes, was adamant that insulin prices come down.
“Unfortunately, because of continually increasing prices, many diabetics ration their insulin or go without, putting their health and lives at further risk,” he said. “This is a commonsense approach that has already been approved in several other states. Companies shouldn’t be allowed to profit off of life-sustaining medicines like insulin. I applaud my legislative colleagues for fighting to improve the health of our fellow Oklahomans, especially those with Type I diabetes.”
Under HB 1019, the Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner will be authorized to enforce the price cap.
“All Oklahomans with diabetes should be able to purchase lifesaving insulin without forgoing other bills or stretch it out to less than their recommended dosage,” Worthen said. “I believe House Bill 1019 is a step in the right direction to providing affordable insulin to these citizens, and I am very pleased that the bill was supported by so many of my colleagues in the Legislature.”
Insurance companies will submit new rate information to the state insurance commissioner to ensure it complies with the new law.