MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Monongalia County Delegate Barbara Fleischauer is hopeful the state Senate will pass a measure capping the costs of insulin and diabetes equipment following the House of Delegates’ passage of the measure.
The Senate Health and Human Resources Committee will be next to consider House Bill 4252, which will limit the cost of a 30-day supply of insulin to $35 and equipment to $100. The House on Wednesday approved the measure 94-3.
“I hope we don’t have a hard time because I think this was very bipartisan in the House,” Fleischauer, D-Monongalia, told MetroNews. “I think the public wants us to solve problems together.”
Legislators tried to implement cost limits during previous legislative sessions; lawmakers approved the $100 cap in 2020, but they did not include language regarding equipment.
“We haven’t had a co-pay for devices before,” Fleischauer said. “Connecticut has done this and they have the lowest death rate in the country for diabetes. We have the highest.”
Insulin pumps, for instance, make it easier for people with diabetes to regulate their blood sugar, but the devices cost thousands of dollars. According to the American Diabetes Association, insulin pumps are recommended for people planning to become pregnant and individuals of all ages.
“It just makes your life so much easier if that’s combined with a continuous glucometer,” Fleischauer said. “You know what your blood sugar is. The pump automatically adjusts what it gives you, and you don’t have to give yourself shots or prick your finger.”
Fleischauer noted the legislation does not cover how to lower copays, which senators could mention as a problem with the bill.
“Somebody is going to get the squeeze, and I anticipate they’re going to complain about it on the Senate side,” she said.