Ernst, Grassley Seek to Give Families Easy Access to Tools to Lower Insulin Costs
New legislation would put the numerous programs and resources that are available to help with drug costs all in one place and make them easily accessible to families and individuals.
WASHINGTON – As families face inflation and other barriers in affording their medications, U.S. Senators Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) and Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) want to make sure Iowans have easy access to the numerous programs and resources available right now to assist with the costs for insulin and other drugs.
Ernst's and Grassley’s new measure—called the Insulin For Our Reoccurring Medical Needs Act, or INFORM Act—puts all of the information about these programs online and in one place, making it easier for families to receive the help they need. It also distributes physical, printed information about these resources to prescribing locations, like community health centers and hospitals, and also to pharmacies so that families have all available information when they pick up their prescription.
“I’ve long pushed for ways to bring drug costs down, and I will continue to work across the aisle on bipartisan solutions to do that, but with resources and assistance programs available right now to help folks in need, there’s no reason our families and individuals shouldn’t have every opportunity to save on drug costs,” said Senator Joni Ernst. “This effort will put all of these resources in one, easily accessible place online as well as in physical locations where patients go regularly to pick up prescriptions, like pharmacies, hospitals, and community health centers.”
“While we continue working on efforts to lower prescription drug costs, including the cost of insulin, there are steps we can take to make insulin resources easily accessible. The INFORM Act will provide Iowans with a one-stop-shop to help individuals in need of insulin save time and money,” Grassley said.
The INFORM Act would direct the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to compile information on assistance programs for insulin and other pharmaceuticals, which are administered by drug manufacturers and nonprofits, and to display the information clearly on their website. It would also direct HHS to distribute print materials to health facilities including prescribing locations.
Ernst is a longtime advocate and fighter for lowering prescription drug costs, supporting several bills including Grassley’s bill, the Prescription Drug Pricing Reduction Act, as well as Senator Mike Crapo’s (R-Idaho) bill, the Lower Costs More Cures Act. Ernst has also supported bills that have become law, like the Creating and Restoring Equal Access To Equivalent Samples (CREATES) Act, to open up competition to lower costs.
###
