With out-of-pocket cost to purchase a vial of insulin topping $300, Minnesota’s 8th District congressional representative Pete Stauber slipped some insulin cost-reduction language into a Democratic bill aimed at lowering prescription drug costs.
Stauber penned the amendment language in the Lower Drug Costs Now Act, which was introduced this fall. If the bill is passed, it will pass insulin rebates to Medicare customers and take effect in 2022.
“Too often, I hear from Minnesotans who are struggling to cover the rising cost of insulin, which can be hundreds or even thousands of dollars a month,” Stauber, R-Hermantown, said in a news release on December 10.
“As more and more individuals across the nation die from rationing insulin, I believe members of Congress have a moral responsibility to act,” he said.
Stauber’s amendment, attached to the Lower Drug Costs Now Act introduced this fall, would pass insulin rebates onto Medicare customers. Were it to pass into legislation, Stauber’s amendment would take effect in 2022. Later study of the impact of the legislative changes would be included.
While Quinn Nystrom, DFL who will compete against Stauber in the 2020 congressional race, criticized him for using a legislative tactic to insert language into a Democratic bill, Pete said he would continue to fight for lowering drug costs and work to make medical care more affordable for the U.S. population.
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