CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (CLARKSVILLENOW) – State Representatives Matthew Hill (R-Jonesborough) and Jason Hodges (D-Clarksville) recently announced they would join together in sponsoring House Bill 1931, a bipartisan bill that sets a price cap on the cost patients pay for insulin at $100 for a 30-day supply.
The price of insulin, a life-saving drug for many Tennesseans, has seen a sharp rise in recent years. The cost of the drug has soared along with the rising number of people being diagnosed with diabetes.
According to the Tennessee Department of Health, in 2018, nearly 14 percent of Tennessee’s adult population, about 730,000 people, were found to be diabetic. That number represents a substantial increase up from 11 percent in 2011. Another 570,000 adult Tennesseans were diagnosed with prediabetes in 2018.
“So many rely on insulin to survive and the cost has skyrocketed at an alarming rate in recent years,” said Hill. “That has forced many living with diabetes to ration or skip doses, sometimes with tragic consequences. That is unacceptable.”
The lawmakers agree that families should never be forced to choose between the health of a loved one and their financial security.
“I can’t stress enough how important it is to lower the price of insulin in the state of Tennessee,” Hodges said. “I’m happy to be a sponsor of this bill, particularly in this bipartisan manner because it affects people in all districts and all demographics across the state.”
This life-saving legislation will provide families with relief and ensure patients with diabetes receive access to care they desperately need.