GOP strips insulin cap from bill

I did read around a bit on it, I guess what got taken out in reconciliation is the private insurance side, but caps are still coming for government programs.

 

Offer the cap as a stand-alone and let’s see if the GOP vote for it.

 

I have a friend with Type I. She is not on insulin yet, but told me it is only a matter of time. Type II can be reversed, type I cannot. Good for you that you figured out how to reverse it!

 

I’d be interested to know why they voted against it.

 

"According to a 2016 study published in Diabetes Care, approximately 40 percent of people with type 2 diabetes can reverse their condition through drastic changes in diet, exercise, and body weight."
It was noted that type II is NOT curable but can be controlled as above. BTW the body weight loss is in the 30-35 lbs. range. Unfortunately it didn't reverse for me (71 yo) even though I lost 45 lbs. and increased exercise to avg. 7km. walking/day.

 

You know why. The quick answer is they don't care unless it's a fetus. They fake being pro life but when it comes to voting to protect the lives of real people they always vote no. Some of those GOP senators have given speeches on the effect of high insulin prices and how people have died because they can't afford it. What do they do when they have a chance to affect change? They vote no. They're not conservative and they're not pro life. Those that support them aren't pro life either

 

Eat a Whole Foods plant based diet.

 

I’ll defend this move (or at least offer a rationale). A price cap is a blunt economic instrument that often results in bad outcomes, notably shortages in the product.

The question that needs to be addressed is why is insulin so expensive? If we can figure that out, we can determine, 1) if the price is the proper product of supply and demand, or 2) if there is a market failure. If #2, as seems likely, then the better remedy would be to try to fix that. Perhaps it’s a barrier to entry in the market, or an information asymmetry, where doctors/patients don’t fully understand the insulin effects. This second idea of lack of information is what physician John Abramson argued in his book Sickening, but not everyone has come to the same conclusion.

In the end, I probably wouldn’t vote for a price cap either, and I don’t think it’s because I don’t care for my fellow humans. I honestly worry that such a move might do more harm than good for them. Perhaps I am mistaken, but if so, im still not heartless, more like brainless.

 

But surely they have some rationale, weak though it may be. I hoped one of our resident conservatives would have provided.

 

Insulin is so expensive because people will die without it. So they will pay whatever the price is.

The same manufacturers sell insulin at much lower prices outside the US (a tenth of the price outside the US).

 

Old numbers, but interesting to see his insight having investigated costs over the years.

Insulin in America: A Right or a Privilege?

 

She is lucky if she weighs 120 lbs soaking wet. Hopefully that is enough for her to stay stable. Losing weight like you did and exercising I'm sure has helped more than you think. Everyone should do that.

 

Schumer just said he is going to bring it up for a vote this fall