U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Reform releases report regarding pricing of diabetes drugs in Maryland's 7th Congressional District

[Deleted member 3812]

U.S. House Rep. Elijah Cummings of Maryland has released a U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Reform report regarding pricing of diabetes drugs in Maryland's 7th Congressional District.

The report reveals that pricing for the 50 most popular brand name diabetes medications cost the Medicare program and beneficiaries nearly $21 million in 2016 in just the Maryland 7th Congressional District alone and that for Medicare beneficiaries with a 25% co-insurance requirement in Maryland's 7th Congressional District, pricing for Novolog Flexpen would be $1,090 in out-of-pocket costs for an annual supply. This cost could be reduced by up to 92 percent at Australian prices (a savings of approximately $1,000 for the beneficiary), 88 percent at UK prices (a savings of approximately $960 for the beneficiary), and 87 percent at Canadian prices (a savings of approximately $940 for the beneficiary).

For uninsured Maryland 7th Congressional District residents who are taking Lantus Solostar pay on average $501 for a monthly supply, compared to $33 in Australia, $51 in the United Kingdom, and $70 in Canada (a 15, 10, and 7 times difference, respectively).

For uninsured Maryland 7th Congressional District residents who are taking Novolog Flexpen pay on average $649 for a monthly supply compared to $28 in Australia, $42 in the United Kingdom, and $47 in Canada (a 23, 16, and 14 times difference, respectively).

Report: https://cummings.house.gov/sites/cummings.house.gov/files/Diabetes Drug Report_MD-07.pdf

Press release: https://cummings.house.gov/media-ce...rt-soaring-prices-diabetes-drugs-his-district

Catonsville, MD (April 24, 2019) – Today, Congressman Elijah E. Cummings (D-MD), Chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Reform, released a Committee Staff Report on the prices of diabetes drugs for seniors and the uninsured in Maryland's 7th Congressional District. More than 30 million people in the United States, including more than one in four seniors, have diabetes. Patients with diabetes rely on prescription drugs, including insulin, to help manage their conditions.

"For people with diabetes, access to their medications is a matter of life and death. In spite of this, drug companies have repeatedly increased the price of their diabetes drugs, including insulin, over the past twenty years. Tragically, these high prices have led many individuals to ration or stop taking their medications," said Congressman Elijah E. Cummings. "We cannot sit back as diabetes patients are compromising their health, and even dying, due to the high price of their medications. It's time to take action to rein in the out-of-control costs of insulin and other diabetes drugs."

The report found that:

• There are approximately 42,000 Medicare beneficiaries in Maryland's 7th Congressional District who have been diagnosed with diabetes.
• In Maryland's 7th District, the 50 most popular brand-name diabetes medications cost the Medicare program and beneficiaries nearly $21 million in 2016.
• For seniors and other Medicare beneficiaries in Maryland's 7th District, the cost of a widely-used insulin would be 92 percent lower at Australian prices, 88 percent lower at UK prices, and 87 percent lower at Canadian prices.
• There are 39,000 uninsured residents in Maryland's 7th District who may bear the entire burden of their high prescription drug prices.
• For a one-month supply of that brand of insulin, uninsured patients in Maryland's 7th District pay 23 times as much as patients in Australia, 16 times as much as patients in the United Kingdom, and 14 times as much as patients in Canada.

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[CostcoCousteau]

Great report.

 

[FeverishDream]

But Trump told us he's doing an incredible job reducing the costs of prescription medicines.

Who to believe?