On February 4th, Representative Bennett proposed H.B. 1130, which amends 36 O.S. 2011, Section 6060.2 to impose a cap on the amount an insurer can charge for a copay on insulin. The bill has been referred to the Committee on Insurance.
Approximately 451,888 people in Oklahoma, or 14.3% of the adult population, have diabetes, and many of them rely on insulin to stay healthy. Insulin has become harder to access in this age of high copay requirements. According to the Commonwealth Fund, many studies have shown that even a $5 copayment generally does have the expected impact of lowering drug utilization. For some individuals relying on insulin, copayments can be astronomically high - $150, $200, or even $500 depending on their insurance plan. This is obviously much more than the $5 it takes to dissuade someone from buying their medicine.
"I hope Oklahoma passes this piece of legislation because it could change the future of our state," says Brooke Baker, a DPAC Champion living in Oklahoma. "Maybe we could go up the ranks and leave being worst in the nation for diabetes and it’s complications."
Capping the copayment for insulin at $100 would be a huge step forward in making insulin more accessible for Oklahomans. A lower copay amount would mean that more Oklahomans would be able to access insulin, and that in turn would mean that those people could avoid costly complications caused by a lack of insulin.
What can you do?
Want to help this bill move along? We’ve done the hard work for you! We’ve drafted a letter that you can send with just a few clicks, so don’t wait! Ask your representative to cosponsor and support H.B. 1130 today to make insulin more accessible for Oklahomans!