HUN4446 Nutrition and Disease 2

POSITION STATEMENT:
Implementing expansion on current health
policies/plans to help reduce the cost of insulin to
diabetic patients in the United States

RECOMMENDATIONS:
Insulin cost have continued to rise the past decade, causing
many individuals with diabetes to have a financial burden.
Many of them are facing situations whether to pay for other
necessities, bills or this life-sustaining medication.
• Availability to Biosimilar Insulin
• Lower cost for older formulation of Insulin
• More access to health care coverage

The Cost of Insulin

Currently, approximatively 29.1 million people have diabetes in the United States and about 1.4. million new cases are
diagnosed every year. The cost of diabetes in the states is estimated to about $327 million dollars.(SITE AJMC)
Diabetes is considered to be the leading cause of kidney failure and has many other health complications as well. With
the technology and medical advancements available today, there are many forms of insulin and other medication in the
market to help individuals with diabetes. However, the pricing and affordability specifically to insulin to diabetic patient
is major problem. More specifically individuals suffering from type 1 diabetes, access to insulin is very crucial. As the
pricing of insulin has nearly tripled in the past 15 years, policies need to be implemented to help control the cost and its
availability to all diabetic patients

Section 2: This Second Section Should Likely be Evidence that Some Approach Very Similar
to your Proposed Policy will be Successful. It Could also Include Information on why Other
Policy Approaches will likely not be Successful.

[10-12 pt font.]

Section 3: Arguments Against Your Proposed Policy (if they exist) and Counterpoints

[10-12 pt font.]
 HUN4446 Nutrition and Disease 2

Section 4: Policy Details and Recommendations for Implementation in your Specific

Population.

[10-12 pt font. Consider bullet point for spacing.]

Recommendation for Policy Recommendations:

 Lower cost for older formulation of Insulin for uninsured or low-income patients:
A possible way to reduce insulin cost for patients is by having the doctor prescribe older
formulation of insulin that is easily available at local drug stores and pharmacies. Have
the patient be checked if the older insulin version works similar to the new developed
ones and see if it is applicable to the patient. This can be used for patients that are with
low-income or uninsured.
 Have pharmaceutical companies implement lottery system for reduce/free insulin for a
year.
Pharmaceutical companies that produce insulin can allocate a certain amount of
funding to give low-income or uninsured patient insulin doses. They can create a
lottery system that allows certain amount of patients to be selected for a reduced or
cost to cost insulin price for a year. Individuals with diabetes can apply for this by
providing information such as tax return and other qualifications set by the
companies. In return, companies can also have incentives from the government that
will allow it to be beneficial both ways.
 Reducing or removing patient cost-sharing.
When insurance companies offer plans for health coverage with deductible or co-
insurance, insulin should not be subjected into it. If there is a deductible, they should
give the individuals a fixed dollar amount after including all discounts incorporated
by the supply chain which includes the manufacturers, pharmacies, and PBMs
(pharmacy benefit management).
 Making rebates and coupons directly available to patients
Value based purchasing (VBP) agreements could potentially reduce drug costs. VBP
are agreements between manufacturers and health plans that base the payment on the
effectiveness of a medication treating a certain disease. Many factors take place such
as improvement outcomes or poorer health among the health plans. The
manufacturer can provide discounts rebates or refunds to the health plans.
 More access to health care coverage for all individual with diabetes
As there are insurance policies already implemented, expansion on certain health plans can
help reduce cost of insulin to patients. Requiring Medicare, Medicaid, and other private insurers to
expand coverage on types of insulin. Insurance plans can be specifically designed or make changed
 HUN4446 Nutrition and Disease 2

to existing ones where it can reduce the financial burden.

Medicaid Expansion: all states should increase Medicaid eligibility to those earning less than
the federal poverty level. Each state should take action in maintaining or improving policies that are
already implemented to make sure diabetic patients have access to affordable health insurance
coverage.
 Availability of more Biosimilar (generic) insulin.
In general, generic medication available in the market are cheaper than branded drugs. At a
broader view, generic drugs typically cost about 50%-85% less than the same brand-name drug.
(GOOD RX). Insulin is considered a biological medication, meaning its made from living cells. So
its regulatory process for introducing “generic” types is different from the traditional generic
medications. Generic biological medication are considered to be Biosimilar. According to FDA
three “biosimilar” insulins have been approved but only two are available in the market. In order for
these medication to be interchangeable for the branded versions, the manufacturer must provide
additional data to FDA to show the biosimilar insulins give the same results in treatment as a
original brand such as Lantus, Novolin, Humulin and Novolog.
Recommendation:
If there is an increase in types of biosimilar insulin in the market, it will allow more
competition which can help reduce the price of it. The more options available to the market will
allow diabetes patients to choose the best (cheaper) option depending on their treatment. Also
finding another way/streamlining the generic insulin approval process can help reduce financial
costs.

Section 5: REFERENCES

[8 pt font here. Use this guide for formatting references using the AMA Citation Style. Within the body of your policy statement, please use
superscript numbers that then correspond with your references below. You should have a minimum of 10 references and ideally no more than 15.
https://www.scientificstyleandformat.org/Tools/SSF-Citation-Quick-Guide.html