ADA urges governors to bring down the cost of insulin and ensure health care access for people with diabetes during coronavirus pandemic

The American Diabetes Association (ADA) CEO Tracey D. Brown sent a letter to all 50 governors in the nation today calling for the urgent need to protect the residents of their state that make up part of the 122 million Americans living with diabetes and prediabetes during the coronavirus pandemic. With nearly one out of two Americans currently living with diabetes or prediabetes, millions of Americans are suddenly facing the real possibility of unemployment and loss of healthcare coverage during this time of crisis. 

The ADA’s letters urge governors to:

• Eliminate cost-sharing for insulin in state-regulated health plans, and
• Ensure continuous access to health care for their residents with diabetes who have lost their jobs due to the economic impact of the pandemic.

“This unprecedented public health crisis poses a unique and significant threat to Americans with diabetes, both from a health perspective due to the impact of diabetes on our immunity, and from an economic perspective given the large numbers of Americans who live with diabetes and who are trying to balance the high cost of medication and supplies against potential job loss, reduced work hours and future income uncertainty,” said Tracey D. Brown, CEO of the American Diabetes Association.

Approximately seven million Americans with diabetes rely on insulin to live. Yet the cost of insulin has skyrocketed, nearly tripling between 2002 and 2013. A national survey conducted by the American Diabetes Association found that nearly a quarter of all insulin users were impacted by the high cost of insulin, with many reporting rationing insulin due to cost. Not taking the prescribed amount of insulin places people with diabetes in jeopardy of serious and life-threatening health complications, and may make us more vulnerable to the coronavirus, adding to the burden of the pandemic on the state while compromising our health further.

“We stand ready to support your efforts to take these bold, yet urgent steps to protect the state from further fallout of the pandemic and blunt the impact on Americans in your state who live with diabetes,” Brown said.

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.

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