The Rhode Island Senate has approved a bill to limit insurance copays for diabetic supplies and equipment.
In an April 6 press release, the state of Rhode Island announced that the bill, sponsored by Sen. Melissa A. Murray (D-Woonsocket), would limit copays to $25 for a 30-day supply of equipment.
A 2021 law, which Murray also sponsored, capped insulin copay prices at $40 a month.
The bill applied to private insurers, health maintenance organizations, non-profit medical service organizations and hospitals, and state employee health insurers.
A companion bill, sponsored by House Speaker Pro Tem Brian Patrick Kennedy (D-Hopkinton, Westerly), is in the Rhode Island House.
In the announcement, Murray said, “Monitoring glucose and administering insulin are absolutely necessary for people living with diabetes. 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, insulin pumps and other items that are crucial for diabetes maintenance can add up and become cost prohibitive for people who desperately need them. It’s not safe for people to ration diabetes supplies simply because they can’t afford them. Insurance should be encouraging patients to manage their diabetes appropriately and safely.”
