2022: Fitzpatrick Voted Against Capping Insulin Covered Under Medicare
At $35 Per Month. In August 2022, according to Congressional
Quarterly, Fitzpatrick voted against concurring in the Senate amendment
to the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, which would "cap cost-sharing
for insulin products covered under Medicare at $35 a month." The vote
was on a motion to concur. The House concurred with the Senate by a vote
220-207, thus the bill was sent to President Biden for final signage.
President Biden signed the bill and it ultimately became law. [House
Vote 420, 8/12/22;
Congressional Quarterly,
8/12/22; Congressional Actions,
H.R.
5376]
Senate Republicans Only Challenged The Insulin Cap For Private
Insurances, Not The $35 Monthly Cap For Medicare. According to
Congressional Quarterly, "Republicans did not challenge the $35
monthly cap for Medicare and that remains in the legislation as the
Senate continues votes that began just before midnight on Saturday."
[Congressional Quarterly,
8/7/22]
According To The Kaiser Family Foundation, 53% Of Americans
Believe Congress Should Prioritize Capping Insulin Costs.
According to Congressional Quarterly, "Insulin caps are popular
among voters. Roughly 37 million Americans have diabetes, and a
recent poll from the Kaiser Family Foundation found that 53 percent
of Americans said that capping insulin costs should be Congress' No.
1 priority. As Democrats seek to hold their majority in the November
midterm elections, the vote gives them a new talking point."
[Congressional Quarterly,
8/7/22]
Senate Republicans Were Successful In Removing The Provision That
Capped Insulin Costs At $35 Per Month For Commercial Health
Plans. According to Congressional Quarterly, "Senate Republicans
were able to strike a $35 monthly cap for insulin costs in the
private insurance market from the Democrats' health care, tax and
climate package on Sunday morning, putting lawmakers on the record
on a politically popular policy provision ahead of a contested
midterm election. Seven Republicans joined Democrats: Bill Cassidy
and John Kennedy of Louisiana, Susan Collins of Maine, Josh Hawley
of Missouri, Cindy Hyde-Smith of Mississippi and Lisa Murkowski and
Dan Sullivan of Alaska. But the 57-43 vote to waive budget rules
fell short of the 60-vote threshold needed, and the $35 insulin
cost cap for commercial health plans was removed from the measure
(HR 5376)." [Congressional Quarterly,
8/7/22]
2022: Fitzpatrick Voted For The Affordable Insulin Now Act, Which
Required Private Insurances And Medicare To Cover Certain Insulin
Products, Prohibit Deductibles For Insulin, And Cap Cost-Sharing For
Such Insulin Products Beginning In 2023. In March 2022, according to
Congressional Quarterly, Fitzpatrick voted for the Affordable Insulin
Now Act, which would "require private health insurance and Medicare to
cover certain insulin products and limit cost-sharing requirements for
such products for plans beginning in 2023. Specifically, it would
require private insurance plans to cover at least one of each dosage
form of each type of insulin, such as short-acting, long-acting and
premixed insulin; prohibit the plans from applying a deductible for the
insulin products; and cap cost-sharing for the insulin products at the
lesser of $35 or 25 percent of the plan's negotiated price for the
product per 30-day supply. For Medicare plans, it would similarly
prohibit the application of a deductible for covered insulin products
and cap copayments at $35 per 30-day supply." The vote was on passage.
The House passed the bill by a vote of 232-193, thus the bill was sent
to the Senate. The bill was passed by the Senate and both chambers are
resolving differences. The bill was turned into the Continuing
Appropriations and Ukraine Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2023 and
that version ultimately became law. [House Vote 102,
3/31/22; Congressional
Quarterly, 3/31/22;
Congressional Actions, H.R.
6833]
The Measure Would Cap Insulin Costs At Either $35 Per Month Or
25% Of A Health Insurance Plan's Negotiated Costs Beginning In
2023. According to NPR, "The Affordable Insulin Now Act would cap
insulin prices at either $35 a month or 25% of an insurance plan's
negotiated price --- whichever is lower. The legislation would take
effect in 2023 but its fate in the Senate remains unclear." [NPR,
3/31/22]
Opponents Of The Bill Claimed The Insulin Cap Would Not Be Enough
To Address The Underlying Issue Of Increased Prescription Drug
Costs. According to NPR, "Critics of the bill argue the cap alone
doesn't do enough to solve the underlying problem of rising
prescription drug prices." [NPR,
3/31/22]
According To The Health Care Cost Institute, Insulin Prices
Doubled Between 2012 And 2016. According to NPR, "Advocates of the
legislation point to data from the Health Care Cost Institute, an
independent nonprofit that studies health care prices, which shows
prices for insulin doubled between 2012 and 2016." [NPR,
3/31/22]
Republicans Claimed The Bill Would Increase Premiums And Worsen
Inflation. According to NBC News, "Republicans argue that the
measure wouldn't adequately address rising prescription drug prices
and that it would raise premiums and worsen inflation." [NBC News,
3/31/22]
AHIP, A National Trade Association, Claimed The Bill Would Not
Lower Insulin Costs But Instead Cost-Shift By Increasing Premiums
And Copays. According to NBC News, "The measure also faces
industry opposition. AHIP, a national trade association whose
members provide health care coverage and services, blasted the bill
in a statement Thursday. 'While health insurance providers work to
reduce insulin costs, this policy unfortunately does nothing to
lower the price of insulin but simply shifts costs to others through
higher insurance premiums and copays,' the organization said." [NBC
News,
3/31/22]
2022: Fitzpatrick Effectively Voted Against The Affordable Insulin Now
Act. In March 2022, according to Congressional Quarterly, Fitzpatrick
voted for the "Bucshon, R-Ind., motion to recommit the bill to the House
Energy and Commerce, Ways and Means and Education and Labor Committees."
The vote was on a motion to recommit. The House rejected the motion by a
vote of 197-225. [House Vote 101,
3/31/22; Congressional
Quarterly, 3/31/22;
Congressional Actions, H.R.
6833]
2022: Fitzpatrick Effectively Voted Against The Affordable Insulin Now
Act. In March 2022, according to Congressional Quarterly, Fitzpatrick
voted against the "adoption of the rule (H Res 1017) that would provide
for House floor consideration of [...] the Affordable Insulin Now Act
(HR 6833). The rule would provide for up to one hour of general debate
on each bill." The vote was on the adoption of the rule. The House
adopted the rule by a vote of 219-202. [House Vote 99,
3/31/22; Congressional
Quarterly, 3/31/22;
Congressional Actions, H.R.
6833;
Congressional Actions, H.Res.
1017]
2022: Fitzpatrick Effectively Voted Against An Amendment That Would
Remove A Provision That Provided $1.5 Million For FY 2022 To The
Centers For Medicare And Medicaid Services For Costs Associated With The
Limit Of Cost-Sharing And Prohibiting Deductibles For Insulin Products
Covered Under Medicare. In March 2022, according to Congressional
Quarterly, Fitzpatrick effectively voted against the manager's amendment
to the Affordable Insulin Now Act, which would "strike from the bill a
provision that would provide $1.5 million for fiscal 2022 for the
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to cover costs associated
with the bill's provisions to limit cost-sharing and prohibit
deductibles for insulin products covered under Medicare prescription
drug plans." The vote was on the adoption of the rule. The House adopted
the rule by a vote of 219-202, thus the manager's amendment was
automatically adopted. [House Vote 99,
3/31/22; Congressional
Quarterly, 3/31/22;
Congressional Actions, H.R.
6833;
Congressional Actions, H.Res.
1017]
2022: Fitzpatrick Effectively Voted Against The Affordable Insulin Now
Act. In March 2022, according to Congressional Quarterly, Fitzpatrick
voted against the "motion to order the previous question (thus ending
debate and possibility of amendment) on the rule (H Res 1017) that would
provide for House floor consideration of [...] the Affordable Insulin
Now Act (HR 6833). The rule would provide for up to one hour of general
debate on each bill." The vote was on a motion to order the previous
question. The House agreed to the motion by a vote of 219-202. [House
Vote 98, 3/31/22;
Congressional Quarterly,
3/31/22; Congressional Actions,
H.R.
6833;
Congressional Actions, H.Res.
1017]