information provided by the Office of the Governor
CHICAGO, Ill. (October 15, 2019) — Governor JB Pritzker joined state lawmakers to push legislation to lower insulin costs in Illinois, which have skyrocketed in recent years.
“Diabetes affects people from all walks of life, but as prices have skyrocketed, more and more insulin users have been forced to find their medication by substituting lower quality products, or seek options out of the country, or even ration their supply—some have died doing so,” said Governor Pritzker. “As we work to address the high costs of prescription drug that are burdening millions all across our state, this legislation is an essential step in the right direction toward fulfilling our promise to put state government back on the side of working families.”
Senate Bill 667 would make Illinois the second state in the nation to set a cap on insulin payments, limiting patients’ out-of-pocket costs at $100 for a 30-day supply.
Since the turn of the century, insulin costs have skyrocketed. In 2001, vials of Sanofi’s Lantus brand cost $35 each, and Novo Nordisk’s Novolog cost $40. In 2018, those costs jumped over 600% to $270 and $289, according to data from IBM Watson Health.
According to the Illinois Department of Public Health, approximately 1.3 million adults in Illinois have diabetes, which is 12.5% of the state’s population.
The bill was originally filed in late May and will be reintroduced during the veto session.
