Latest news with #GovernmentandVeteranAffairsCommittee
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Insulin caps bill headed to North Dakota governor
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 Senate on Tuesday voted 39-7 to pass a bill to cap monthly insulin costs for more North Dakotans. House Bill 1114 would limit out-of-pocket costs for a monthly supply of insulin at $25 for the state's commercial insurance market. It would also establish a $25-a-month cap on 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. Patient advocates plan to continue pushing for insulin price cap The bill will cost about $834,000 for the 2025-2027 budget cycle, according to a fiscal analysis on the Legislature's website. 'I would argue, in the long run, a proposal like this will save money as more North Dakotans will be able to avoid a situation where they're rationing insulin or missing treatment because of the cost,' said Sen. Sean Cleary, R-Bismarck, who carried the bill on the floor. No senators spoke against the bill Tuesday. Advocates who submitted testimony on the proposal said that insulin caps are needed in order to ensure the treatment is available to all who need it. Opponents have said that the policy would unfairly shift costs to groups like businesses and insurers. House Bill 1114 passed the House in February. The bill will still need to go before Gov. Kelly Armstrong before it can become law. The same insulin caps were piloted in state employee health plans beginning in 2023. State law requires any health insurance mandates to be tested on state employee plans before introducing them to the North Dakota commercial market. Some other health insurance plans in the state, like North Dakota Affordable Care Act plans, already have their own caps. 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 was not significantly costly to the Senate earlier this session passed a separate proposal, Senate Bill 2370, that would continue the caps for state employee insurance plans but not extend them to the North Dakota commercial market. That bill is scheduled for a hearing before the House Human Services committee Wednesday. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
21-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
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 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. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
