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Committee recommends continuing $25 insulin copay cap for NDPERS members; bill passes 15-1
Summary
Senate Bill 2,370 would continue a $25 monthly cap on insulin and diabetic supplies for members of the North Dakota Public Employees Retirement System (NDPERS) plan. The committee voted 15-1 for a due pass recommendation; sponsors cited cost and health benefits and the enacted pilot'program's small premium impact.
Senate Bill 2,370 would continue a pilot program that caps members' out-of-pocket insulin and diabetic supplies at $25 per month for participants in the North Dakota Public Employees Retirement System (NDPERS) plan.
Senator Cleary, carrying the bill, told the committee the pilot reduced average member out-of-pocket costs by about $80 per month for roughly 831 covered individuals and increased overall premiums by about 0.21 percent. The fiscal note the sponsor cited estimated a $365,000 general-fund cost for the coming biennium, $469,000 in special funds, and impacts for political subdivisions participating in the plan. Cleary and supporters argued that the cap improves adherence and could reduce downstream healthcare costs from uncontrolled diabetes.
Committee members noted the bill currently applies only to the NDPERS plan and discussed whether a broader commercial-market cap would be appropriate; Cleary said broader application is a separate policy discussion.
The committee voted a due-pass recommendation 15-1. Members said the bill will be carried forward to relative policy/action on the floor; names for a floor carrier were discussed.
