Bill limiting insulin costs for more North Dakotans advances in House
Nina Kritzberger, 16, speaks before the Government and Veteran Affairs Committee in favor of an insulin cap for the North Dakota commercial insurance market on Jan. 9, 2025. (Mary Steurer/North Dakota Monitor)
The North Dakota House of Representatives voted 59-27 on Thursday for a bill to lower monthly insulin costs for more North Dakotans.
House Bill 1114 would set out-of-pocket costs for a monthly supply of insulin at $25 for the North Dakota commercial insurance market. It would also institute a $25 monthly cap for insulin-related medical supplies.
The new caps would affect North Dakotans on individual, small group and large group insurance plans within the fully insured market. The bill doesn't apply to the self-insured market.
Rep. Carrie McLeod, R-Fargo, who carried the bill on the floor, said the proposal would protect against price gouging from drug manufacturers and distributors.
'This is not a free market issue, people,' she said.
Rep. Lori VanWinkle, R-Minot, said she agrees that insulin access is an issue, but that she is not convinced House Bill 1114 is the right solution.
'I just think we could be headed down a crazy road of, 'What's next?'' VanWinkle said.
Rep. Todd Porter, R-Mandan, said the bill is an example of 'cherry picking' medical conditions to subsidize. He also said the proposal would hurt small businesses.
'Every time we put a mandate in place, it raises the premiums to a small business, which is then passed on to the employees, which is then passed onto the consumers,' he said.
North Dakotans with diabetes advocate for insulin price caps
Rep. Austen Schauer, R-West Fargo, said the bill only impacts a small percentage of the state's insurance market. A representative of Sanford Health Plan testified in a committee hearing on the bill that it would cover roughly a quarter of insurance plans in North Dakota.
Some health insurance plans in the state, like North Dakota Affordable Care Act plans, already have caps of their own, Schauer added.
He added that when North Dakotans with diabetes are able to take care of themselves, the more they're able to give back to their communities.
'The biggest issue is extending life,' Schauer said.
The bill will proceed to the Senate.
The insulin caps were already piloted for state employee health plans beginning in 2023.
Under state law, North Dakota must first test any health insurance mandates on the state employees before introducing it to the North Dakota commercial market.
The three largest manufacturers for the U.S. insulin market, Eli Lilly, Novo Nordisk and Sanofi, all recently lowered the cost of their insulin products.
Because of those price cuts, the North Dakota Public Employee Retirement System board found that the pilot program didn't come at a significant cost to the state.The Senate will soon vote on a separate proposal, Senate Bill 2370, that would continue the PERS program but not extend the caps to the North Dakota commercial market.
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