Kentucky law capping the price of insulin goes into effect

A new Kentucky law to cap the price of insulin has now gone into effect with the beginning of the new year.

The legislation was signed last March by Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear in order to make insulin more affordable since it is necessary for some diabetics to live. 

Beshear called the legislation a “game changer” for many people as Kentucky is one of the states with the nation’s highest diabetes rates. Because of the law, the cost of insulin is now limited to $30 per 30-day supply for some Kentuckians.

The cap applies to certain groups of people, including those with state-regulated health care plans or those with plans purchased on the marketplace exchange, as well as state employees and people under group plans. 

“This is the right thing to do and it’s a game changer for those who rely on insulin to live,” Beshear noted at the March signing ceremony that was also attended by the bipartisan bill’s primary sponsors.

Not a single lawmaker voted against the bill, called House Bill 95, as it traveled through the GOP majority legislature after efforts to limit insulin prices spanned several years. Lead sponsors of the bill were Republican Rep. Danny Bentley, who is a diabetic himself, as well as Democratic Rep. Patti Minter, whose son has diabetes. 

Over half-a-million Kentucky residents have diabetes, and the state ranks seventh in the nation for prevalence of the disease. Beshear, who often refers to health care as a “basic human right,” has noted that some residents have had to shell out over $1,000 per month for insulin.

The cost forced some to ration the medication or try to do without it. According to the American Diabetes Association, Kentucky has now joined 14 other states and Washington, D.C. in enacting insulin copay caps.