Last night, every Illinois Republican in the U.S. House of Representatives voted against a bill to cap the cost of insulin for many Americans at $35 per month. Nearly one million people in Illinois rely on insulin – but right now, many families can be forced to choose between paying their bills or being able to afford a drug they cannot live without. That’s why every Illinois House Democrat voted yesterday to drastically cut the monthly cost of insulin for many Illinoisans – and why President Biden has been pushing to lower drug prices for Americans, including insulin.
Last night’s vote builds on state legislation enacted by the Illinois General Assembly and Gov. JB Pritzker in 2019 to cap insulin costs at $100 per month for all patients using a state-regulated insurance plan. That legislation passed on an overwhelming bipartisan vote, though current Republican statewide candidates Avery Bourne and Tom Demmer voted no to cutting health care costs.
“The vote by every Illinois Republican in Congress against capping insulin costs is a slap in the face to the many Illinoisans on private health insurance and Medicare who depend on this life saving drug,” said Abby Witt, Executive Director of the Democratic Party of Illinois. “While Illinois Democrats at every level are focused on lowering the cost of insulin and other medications Americans depend on, Republicans are siding with big pharmaceutical companies over working families.”
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