OLYMPIA, Wash. — The $35-per-month cap on the cost of insulin in Washington state is now permanent, thanks to a new law.
On Thursday, Gov. Jay Inslee signed Senate Bill 5729 into law, ensuring that Washington residents with diabetes have affordable access to the drug.
Sen. Karen Keiser of Des Moines, the sponsor of this bill, sponsored a similar bill last year that intended to temporarily limit the cost of insulin while Congress worked to pass legislation controlling the price of the drug on a federal level.
“This legislation isn’t a perfect solution — I had hoped that Congress would take action to ensure insulin is affordable for all Americans. But by keeping costs down for people with diabetes, this price cap is going to save lives in Washington,” said Keiser in a news release.
The price cap in last year’s bill had an expiration date of Jan. 1, 2024. This year’s bill removes that expiration date and permanently caps the price for a 30-day supply of insulin.
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