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Sponsors seek $35 insulin cap, $100 cap for devices in Insulin Reduction Act
Summary
Sponsors of House Bill 263 told the Health Committee the bill would cap insulin cost‑sharing at $35 and add a $100 cap for diabetes devices; sponsors cited Ohio Department of Health and American Diabetes Association figures and pledged to provide supporting studies and a list of states with similar caps.
House Bill 263, the Insulin Reduction Act, received sponsor testimony and questions during a first hearing before the Ohio House Health Committee. A sponsor said the bill would cap cost‑sharing for insulin at $35 per prescription and create a $100 limit for diabetes care devices such as glucose monitors and insulin pumps. The sponsor said the measure grew from personal experiences of members and state policy models in neighboring states.
The sponsor cited data: "According to the Ohio Department of Health, more than 12.4 percent of Ohio adults have been diagnosed with diabetes," and referenced the American Diabetes Association's finding that the total cost of insulin and other blood‑glucose management medications rose 26 percent from 2017 to 2022. A co‑sponsor, who identified as a person with type 1 diabetes, described personal difficulty affording insulin and said the bill aims to expand access to life‑saving medication and related equipment.
Committee members asked for the underlying study cited by sponsors, comparisons with other states, and sources for estimates of production costs; sponsors said they would provide the requested study and a list of states with existing caps. Members also discussed possible additions from recently passed health‑plan language and suggested staff collaboration on drafting details.
