WASHINGTON — A Florida woman says paying for lifesaving insulin means making difficult trade-offs, so legislation passed in the U.S House of Representatives capping the monthly costs for insured patients would ease her concerns.

"It comes down to a choice of am I going to eat, have gas, or am I going to have insulin," Joyce Daniels said. "And, I can't afford all of it — $300 I just paid (for insulin)." 

What You Need To Know

  • Florida woman says she pays $600-$900 per month for insulin

  • A bill passed in the U.S. House of Representatives would cap the monthly payments at $35

  • President Joe Biden's proposal in his Build Back Better plan to cap insulin expenses failed

  • The future of the measure now will be decided by the U.S. Senate

Even with her insurance, Daniels said she will pay $600-$900 a month for insulin. 

Democratic Congresswoman Kathy Castor (District 14) said there are about 2.4 million Floridians like Daniels living with diabetes. ​

"For our neighbors who have diabetes, this is a life and death situation," she said. "I hear from many of our neighbors who ration their insulin. And right now, the drug companies are gouging consumers — they have ratcheted up the price of insulin to pad their bottom line."

Castor supports the House legislation to cap out-of-pocket insulin costs at $35 per month for Medicare Part D and commercial health insurance. 

Democratic Congressman Charlie Crist (District 13) also supports the legislation.

"As we all know, pharmaceutical drugs in the United States are the highest in the world," Crist said. "That's not right. That's why so many of our citizens try to get drugs from Canada — to get a lower rate on those pharmaceuticals."

President Joe Biden made the cap on insulin costs part of his sweeping Build Back Better bill.

When that legislation failed to get through the Senate, Democrats vowed to pass some of its most popular elements separately, including insulin price reforms. Some Republicans are opposing the insulin cost cap, saying the real issue deals with manufacturing. 

"What it does is just put in price controls," Republican Congressman Byron Daniels (District 19) said. "When you put price controls into any industry, it actually stifles manufacturing. And, so there will actually be a smaller allotment of insulin for the market, which hurts people who suffer from diabetes." 

The fate of the legislation in the Senate is uncertain. 

Daniels says people with diabetes need relief now.

"Thirty-five dollars I can come up with, but $300 is a cat of a different color," Daniels said.