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Rhode Island committee hears bills to limit diabetes supply costs and cover glucagon
Summary
Two bills were presented to the House Health and Human Services Committee: HB7188 would cap out-of-pocket costs for insulin administration and glucose-monitoring supplies at $25 per 30-day supply; HB7075 (the Matthew Federico Diabetic Safety Act) would require coverage of up to two glucagon rescue pens per year with no copay and no deductible. Family members, pharmacists and disability advocates testified in favor.
The House Health and Human Services Committee heard two closely related proposals on Jan. 29 addressing the affordability of diabetes supplies.
Speaker pro tem Representative Kennedy introduced House Bill 7188, which would cap the amount a covered person must pay for insulin administration and glucose-monitoring supplies at $25 per 30-day supply (or per item when an item is intended for longer than 30 days) and would bar insurers from imposing deductibles on that equipment and those supplies. The sponsor said the measure is intended to reduce cost-driven decisions that lead patients to delay necessary equipment replacement and to take effect on Jan. 1, 2027.
On HB7075 — presented as the Matthew Federico Diabetic Safety Act — Representative McGaugh (through a proxy) said the bill would require coverage of glucagon, a rescue medication for severe hypoglycemia, with no copay and no deductible for up to two pens per year. Representative McGaugh provided retail pricing she said was current as of Jan. 25, 2026: GoodRx/CVS $334, Walmart $326 and Walgreens $329, and described the bill as a means of ensuring access to life-saving rescue medication.
Several witnesses testified in support. Chris Federico, who said he is the brother of Matthew Federico and provided family testimony, described a hospitalization and difficulty obtaining timely access to glucagon and urged passage in Matthew’s memory. "It's a constant reminder that glucagon is not only for someone to use, but also really the family members," Federico said. Caitlin Kennedy, a pharmacist and president-elect of the Rhode Island Pharmacists Association, testified that prior authorizations create administrative delays and that the up-front cost of glucagon (she noted roughly $300) is small compared with the cost of an emergency department visit. Elizabeth Hubbard of the Governor’s Commission on Disabilities and pharmacy resident Nadia Hartling also described clinical need and the public-health rationale for coverage and easier access.
Committee members asked a range of operational and policy questions, including whether the bills would address manufacturer pricing or broader plan design, how prior authorization delays affect patient access, and practical points about administration of glucagon in unconscious patients. Testimony emphasized that making supplies affordable can reduce emergency-care episodes and overall system costs.
No committee vote was taken on the bills at this hearing; the committee later recorded a procedural motion to hold today's bills for further study.
