A Vial a Day Won’t Keep the Politicians Away

Insulin rationing is a health crisis that can’t being ignored

The fact that one 10-milliliter bottle of insulin could cost the same as a one-way ticket to Cancun is a ridiculous truth of the U.S. healthcare system. Not to mention, one vial of insulin only lasts diabetics the lesser half of a month.

Type I Diabetes affects almost two million people in the United States. Those with Type I Diabetes must inject insulin in order to manage their blood sugar levels. However, managing this chronic condition is extremely costly, both to insurance companies and to those paying out-of-pocket.

The percentage of adults with diabetes who did not have health insurance dropped significantly when the Affordable Care Act was passed. Still, because of the extremely high cost of insulin, those with diabetes cannot always afford extra out-of-pocket costs which may lead to rationing of life-saving insulin.

Insulin rationing is when a diabetic does not take enough insulin to lower their blood sugar level to a healthy level, or they decide not to inject insulin at all because they have to save it for a longer period of time. This is necessary for some, as there is simply no other option — the price of insulin is too prohibitive.

Insulin must be injected for Type I diabetes; there is no alternative. Thus, more than 25% of diabetics in the U.S. have rationed insulin, sometimes leading to fatal consequences. The U.S. has the highest rate of insulin rationing in the world, as lawmakers have been trying to find a solution to this crisis.

The Affordable Insulin Now Act was recently passed by the House and will now go through the Senate for approval. The bill aims to reduce the outrageously high prices of insulin by capping the total amount of money a consumer can spend on insulin at $35 per month. On a surface level, the bill seems like it could save lives, as insulin costs range from $300 to $1000 a month.

A quick reminder: it's an election year, and a small number next to a dollar sign is one of the only things politicians want you to be thinking about. Their goal is to create an image that they are solving a national crisis when the reality is that the effects of this bill are not as tangible as the actual crisis that some diabetics face.

This bill is merely a distraction to the much more widespread and deeply rooted issues in Big Pharma, which are affecting the lives of those who can’t afford their prices. Yet politicians are reluctant to make necessary, radical change, as their donations will dwindle.

Moreover, this price cap is only effective for diabetics that have health insurance. In addition, decreasing the cost of insulin this year will only result in a price increase of insurance premiums the following year. Thus, purchasing insulin won’t necessarily be cheaper; it will just look cheaper.

With the 2022 midterm elections just a few short months away, some politicians are looking at healthcare initiatives to pass before their seat is challenged. However, this public appeal and platform-building initiative still continues to disenfranchise those who do not have and can’t afford insurance. And for those who do, in the long run, this bill’s benefit is expedient and limited.

These politicians’ efforts could even be seen as biased or self-motivated given the fact that Big Pharma, along with setting insulin prices, wrote a check for two-thirds of Congress during the last election cycle.

Policy makers can keep on looking for solutions for high drug prices and healthcare costs, but they won’t find it unless they take a look in the mirror. Once they acknowledge how their Big Pharma donors affect their actions, perhaps they can make some progress on equitable healthcare and insulin pricing.

It is inhumane to force diabetics to ration medicine that keeps them alive. This issue often goes unnoticed due to the lack of education around the condition, perpetuating the blind eye that is turned when critical issues need to be addressed. America’s healthcare system is in crisis. More and more people will have to ration insulin unless a sustainable change is made.