STATE HOUSE – The Senate has accredited laws sponsored by Sen. Melissa Murray to restrict insured sufferers’ copays for provides and tools used to deal with diabetes to $25 for a 30-day provide.
Just like the 2021 state legislation – additionally sponsored by Murray — that capped insulin copays at $40 a month, the laws – 2025-S 0196 – would apply to personal insurers, well being upkeep organizations, nonprofit hospital service or medical service companies and the state worker medical insurance plans that cowl such provides. Beneath the invoice, starting Jan. 1 or, for state workers, the subsequent time the well being plan contract is bought or renewed by the state, copays for insulin administration and glucose monitoring provides shall be capped at $25 for a 30-day provide, or per merchandise when an merchandise is meant for use for longer than 30 days.
“Monitoring glucose and administering insulin are absolutely necessary for people living with diabetes,” said Murray, a Democrat representing District 24 in Woonsocket and North Smithfield. “While the skyrocketing cost of insulin in recent years has been an important issue that has captured national attention, that is not the only cost that burdens those with diabetes. Supplies like testing strips, blood sugar meters, and insulin pumps and other items that are critical for diabetes maintenance can add up and become cost prohibitive for people who desperately need them. When patients can’t afford the equipment for preventative maintenance, they have no choice but to go without, sometimes with fatal consequences.”
The bill is cosponsored by Sens. Samuel Bell, Mark McKenney, Dawn Euer, Pamela Lauria and Brian Thompson.
The legislation has been approved by the Senate each of the last two years as well. It now goes to the House of Representatives, where House Speaker Pro Tempore Brian Patrick Kennedy is sponsoring companion bill 2025-H 5026.
