California Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoes bill aimed at limiting the price of insulin

2024-12-25 22:03:09 source:lotradecoin availability category:Markets

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Gov. Gavin Newsom has vetoed a bill that would have stopped insurance companies from charging more than $35 for insulin.

The bill would have banned health plans and disability insurance policies from imposing any out-of-pocket expenses on insulin prescription drugs above $35 for a 30-day supply. That would have included deductibles and co-pays.

Newsom, a Democrat, said earlier this year that California would soon start making its own brand of insulin. The state has a $50 million contract with the nonprofit pharmaceutical company Civica Rx to manufacture the insulin under the brand CalRx. The state would sell a 10 milliliter vial of insulin for $30.

“With CalRx, we are getting at the underlying cost, which is the true sustainable solution to high-cost pharmaceuticals,” Newsom wrote in a message explaining why he vetoed the bill on Saturday. “With copay caps however, the long-term costs are still passed down to consumers through higher premiums from health plans.”

Other news California governor signs several laws, including a ban on certain chemicals in food and drinks California Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoes bill that would have decriminalized psychedelic mushrooms California governor vetoes bill that would have banned caste discrimination

State Sen. Scott Wiener, a Democrat from San Francisco who crafted the bill, called Newsom’s veto “a major setback that will keep tens of thousands of diabetic Californians trapped in the terrible choice between buying insulin and buying food.”

“This is a missed opportunity that will force them to wait months or years for relief from the skyrocketing costs of medical care when they could have had it immediately,” Wiener said in a news release.

Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas that converts sugar into energy. People who have diabetes don’t produce enough insulin. People with Type 1 diabetes must take insulin every day to survive.

In January, California Attorney General Rob Bonta sued the companies that make and promote most of the nation’s insulin, accusing them of colluding to illegally increase the price.

In March, the largest insulin makers announced they would voluntarily reduce the price of their products.

More:Markets

Recommend

Amazon's Thank My Driver feature returns: How to give a free $5 tip after delivery

Thanksgiving may be over, but the season for giving is still upon us.Amazon is providing customers a

WNBA's Caitlin Clark Celebrates Boyfriend Connor McCaffery's Career Milestone

WNBA star Caitlin Clark is celebrating a major slam dunk in boyfriend Connor McCaffery’s career.The

Vance and Georgia Gov. Kemp project Republican unity at evangelical event after Trump tensions

ATLANTA (AP) — A leading conservative Christian group put on a show of Republican unity Monday, ceme