CHAMPAIGN – To make insulin more affordable for citizens in Champaign and Vermilion counties, State Senator Scott Bennett moved to cap patients’ out-of-pocket costs at $100 for a 30-day supply.

As lawmakers prepare to return to Springfield next week for the fall veto session, insulin will be a major topic of interest. Bennett is a co-sponsor of legislation that would make Illinois the second state to cap insulin copayments.

“The price of insulin has tripled over the span of a decade and diabetics are resorting to desperate measures due to the price spike,” Bennett said. “You can’t just cut back on insulin. Patients deserve affordable access to this life-saving prescription drug, and they can’t wait.”

The American Diabetes Association reports there are more than 30 million Americans who have diabetes, with 1.25 million having Type 1 diabetes. The condition requires daily administration of insulin to survive.

This legislation, Senate Bill 667, also directs Attorney General Kwame Raoul’s office to investigate reasons for rising prescription insulin costs and to ensure consumer protections in their pricing. The attorney general’s office will issue a one-time report detailing its findings and make public policy recommendations for controlling and preventing overpricing of prescription insulin.

“Nobody should be forced to decide between paying for food or their medication,” Bennett said. “I will continue to work with the lead sponsor of Senate Bill 667, State Senator Andy Manar (D-Bunker Hill) to ensure this becomes law.”