SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Laura Murphy has successfully passed a bill through the Senate to limit the cost of insulin to $35, ensuring affordable access to life-saving medicine for Illinois residents in need.
According to Murphy, many lives have been lost due to the rising cost of insulin, and no family should have to choose between purchasing medication or putting food on their table. The measure also requires the Department of Public Health to establish an insulin discount program, allowing participants to purchase the medicine at a reduced rate.
Around 1.3 million Illinoisans have insulin-dependent diabetes, and prices for the drug have continued to rise since the early 2000s, forcing many people to go without the medication.
“Lifesaving maintenance medications like insulin are taken for a lifetime, and they should be affordable to everyone who needs them,” Murphy said.
The Senate Bill 1559 has now passed the Senate and will proceed to the House for further consideration. If passed, it will bring much-needed relief to Illinois residents struggling to afford this critical medication.
