ICYMI: Latinos Among the Most Benefited by President Biden's Call to Cap Of $35 Dollars in Insulin Costs

Yesterday, La Opinión, the largest Spanish-language newspaper reported on how President Bidens's call-to-action during the State of the Union to lower insulin prices, resulted in Eli Lilly's announcement to cap out-of-pocket expenses for its insulin products at $35 a month and how impactful this will be for the Latino community.

During his State of the Union address, the president pledged to seek an expansion of the $35 limit of the Inflation Reduction Act on insulin costs for seniors with Medicare, so that the provision can be applied to everyone. Lowering insulin costs will have long lasting positive impacts on communities of color, particularly Latinos, who rank third amongst the groups that suffer the most from diabetes.

Thanks to President Biden's leadership, Latinos across the country are seeing lower healthcare costs. This includes lower prescription drug prices in Medicare, including insulin and better access to prescription drug coverage.

Read full story in English and Spanish below:

La Opinión: Latinos will be among the most benefited by a cap of $35 dollars in insulin costs
[Jesus Garcia, 3/2/23]

Translation:

The Biden Administration celebrated the decision of the pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly to reduce the cost of insulin, an action that will have important benefits for populations of color, including Latinos.

Latinos are among the ethnic groups that will benefit most from the $35 cap on the cost of insulin announced by the pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly, at the request of the Joe Biden administration.

With 11.98%, Latinos rank third among the groups that suffer the most from diabetes, from a list led by American Indians or Alaska Natives with 14.5%, followed by the non-Hispanic black population with 12.1%.

Behind Latinos are Asians with 9.5% and whites with 7.4%.

"I called on prescription drug companies to lower the price of insulin to $35 for everyone, not just seniors," Biden celebrated at the White House. "Eli Lilly, the largest insulin maker in the United States, agreed to do just that. Thirty-five dollars".

Congress last year approved the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) that integrates decisions on limiting the cost of insulin, but in the face of Republican rejection, the benefit was only established for people with Medicare.

This week, the Eli Lilly company – the largest insulin manufacturer in the United States – decided to adjust the price of its product.

"Eli Lilly announced that they are reducing the cost of insulin by 70% and limiting what patients pay out-of-pocket for insulin to $35," noted the White House, citing a decision followed after the IRA's approval.

"This action…could benefit millions of Americans with diabetes in all fifty US states and territories," the Biden Administration noted.

It adds that data from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) show that lowering the cost of insulin will primarily benefit communities of color, including Hispanics or Latinos.

"Hispanic and American Indian/Alaska Native adults have higher rates of diabetes than whites in the United States," it notes.

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) reports that there are 26.9 million people with diabetes nationwide.

With the cost reduction, the states that will benefit the most are California, which has 2.9 people with diabetes; Texas with 2.7 million; Florida with 1.8 million; New York with 1.5 million, and Pennsylvania with just over a million.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (New York), one of the promoters of the motion on insulin in the IRA reform, celebrated the Eli Lilly decision, since he considered that there was an "excuse" for this product to have a value of up to $800 dollars. .

"We're glad to see this company end its terrible practice of keeping insulin prices high, and it deserves praise," Schumer said.

However, he considered that step insufficient, since other companies should follow suit, in addition to lobbying Republicans to support a law that would allow a cap of $35 for insulin for any American.

Original:

La Administración Biden celebró la decisión de la farmacéutica Eli Lilly de reducir el costo de la insulina, acción que tendrá importantes beneficios para las poblaciones de color, incluidos los latinos

Los latinos se encuentran entre los grupos étnicos que serán más beneficiados por el tope a $35 dólares del costo de la insulina anunciado por la farmacéutica Eli Lilly, tras petición del gobierno del presidente Joe Biden.

Con 11.98% los latinos ocupan el tercer lugar entre los grupos que más padecen diabetes, de una lista que lideran los indios americanos o nativos de Alaska con 14.5%, seguidos por la población de raza negra no hispanos 12.1%.

Detrás de los latinos se encuentran los asiáticos con 9.5% y los blancos con 7.4%.

"Hice un llamado a las compañías de medicamentos recetados para que reduzcan el precio de la insulina a $35 para todos, no solo para las personas mayores", celebró Biden en la Casa Blanca. "Eli Lilly, el mayor fabricante de insulina de los Estados Unido, accedió a hacer precisamente eso. Treinta y cinco dólares".

El Congreso aprobó el año pasado la Ley de Reducción de la Inflación (IRA) que integra decisiones sobre limitar el costo de la insulina, pero ante el rechazo de republicanos el beneficio solamente quedó asentado para la gente con Medicare.

Esta semana, la empresa Eli Lilly –el mayor fabricante de insulina de Estados Unidos— decidió ajustar el precio de su producto.

"Eli Lilly anunció que están reduciendo el costo de la insulina en un 70% y limitando lo que pagan los pacientes de su bolsillo para insulina a $35", destacó la Casa Blanca, que cita una decisión seguida tras la aprobación de IRA.

"Esta acción… podría beneficiar a millones de estadounidenses con diabetes en los cincuenta estados y territorios de EE.UU.", destacó la Administración Biden.
Agrega que los datos de los Centros para el Control de Enfermedades (CDC) muestran que la reducción del costo de la insulina beneficiará principalmente a las comunidades de color, incluidos los hispanos o latinos.

"Los adultos hispanos e indios americanos/nativos de Alaska tienen tasas más altas de diabetes que los blancos en los Estados Unidos", se acota.

El Departamento de Salud y Servicios Humanos (HSS) reporta que hay 26.9 millones de personas que padecen diabetes en todo el país.

Con la reducción del costo, los estados que más serán beneficiados son California, que tiene 2.9 de personas con diabetes; Texas con 2.7 millones; Florida con 1.8 millones; New York con 1.5 millones, y Pennsylvania con poco más de un millón.

El líder del Senado, Chuck Schumer (Nueva York), uno de los impulsores de la moción sobre insulina en la reforma IRA, celebró la decisión Eli Lilly, pues consideró que había "excusa" para que ese producto tenga un valor de hasta $800 dólares.

"Nos alegra ver que esta empresa pone fin a su terrible práctica de mantener altos los precios de la insulina, y merece elogios", dijo Schumer.

Sin embargo, consideró que ese paso es insuficiente, ya que otras compañías deberían seguir el mismo ejemplo, además de presionar a los republicanos para apoyar una ley que permita el tope a $35 dólares de la insulina para cualquier estadounidense.