ARLINGTON, Va., March 4, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Today, Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham of New Mexico signed legislation capping monthly copayments for insulin at $25, making New Mexico the third state to enact a co-pay cap—with the lowest dollar amount for a co-pay cap introduced at the state level to date. Insulin affordability is a critical issue facing millions of Americans, with the price of insulin nearly tripling between 2002 and 2013. The American Diabetes Association (ADA) applauds Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham and bill sponsors Senator Daniel A. Ivey-Soto and Representative Micaela Lara Cadena for their leadership on this urgently needed legislation to provide relief from the burden of high insulin costs for people living with diabetes in New Mexico.
“This American Diabetes Association-supported legislation is a major step forward in the fight for affordable insulin,” said LaShawn McIver, MD, MPH, Senior Vice President of Government Affairs & Advocacy for the ADA. “New Mexico is the third state to pass this type of legislation, proving that there is momentum to bring down insulin prices for those who need it. Legislators are hearing the cries of the approximately seven million Americans who rely on insulin to live. We are grateful to Governor Lujan Grisham, Senator Ivey-Soto and Representative Cadena for introducing and passing this critical legislation, and for your continued efforts to protect the more than 230,000 New Mexicans living with diabetes.”
House Bill 292 also requires the New Mexico Department of Insurance to issue a report that includes a summary of insulin pricing practices as well as public policy recommendations to control and prevent overpricing of prescription insulin drugs made available to New Mexico consumers. For more information about this legislation, please contact the Governor’s office at: governor.state.nm.us.
The ADA continues to be the driving force in federal and state efforts to ensure that insulin is affordable and accessible for all people who need it. Take action today at diabetes.org/advocacy/platform.
If you are struggling to pay for insulin or know someone who is, the ADA has resources to help—visit InsulinHelp.org.
About the American Diabetes Association
Every day more than 4,000 people are newly diagnosed with diabetes in America. More than 122 million Americans have diabetes or prediabetes and are striving to manage their lives while living with the disease. The American Diabetes Association (ADA) is the nation’s leading voluntary health organization fighting to bend the curve on the diabetes epidemic and help people living with diabetes thrive. For nearly 80 years the ADA has been driving discovery and research to treat, manage and prevent diabetes, while working relentlessly for a cure. We help people with diabetes thrive by fighting for their rights and developing programs, advocacy and education designed to improve their quality of life. Diabetes has brought us together. What we do next will make us Connected for Life. To learn more or to get involved, visit us at diabetes.org or call 1-800-DIABETES (1-800-342-2383). Join the fight with us on Facebook (American Diabetes Association), Twitter (@AmDiabetesAssn) and Instagram (@AmDiabetesAssn).
SOURCE American Diabetes Association
