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Minutes for HB2557 - Committee on Insurance
Short Title
Establishing a $100 maximum out-of-pocket cost-share per month per covered person for prescription insulin drugs.
Minutes Content for Wed, Feb 12, 2020
Chairperson Vickrey opened the hearing on HB 2557. Assistant Revisor of Statutes, Eileen Ma provided an overview of the bill (Attachment 1)
Denise Cyzman testified in support of the bill. She said Community Care Network of Kansas provided primary, dental, behavioral health and other care to one in nine Kansans. She explained the cost of insulin was high and for persons on a limited income or with no, or high-deductible health insurance, the out-of-pocket costs were devastating. Ms. Cyzman gave an example of how a relative of one of their firm's CEOs had Type 1 Diabetes and because the cost was high, had been stretching his insulin dose. He died at age 21 from diabetic ketoacidiosis (diabetic coma) (Attachment 2).
Jodi Lucke testified in support of the bill. She said her husband was an insulin-dependent, Type 2 Diabetic and related the personal impact of the disease on their lives. Although he was covered by Medicare Plan D insurance, he first had to pay full price to meet his deductible. They worried that by March or April, they would reach the coverage limit, what pharmacists referred to as the "doughnut hole," and be forced to pay the full price. She related other cases of diabetics who had to pay high costs for insulin, a drug needed to sustain their life (Attachment 3)
Christine Fallabell provided written testimony in support of the bill (Attachment 4).
Dr. Denna Hubbard provided written testimony in support of the bill (Attachment 5).
Jonathan Cole provided written testimony in support of the bill (Attachment 6).
Melissa Bryan provided written testimony in support of the bill (Attachment 7).
Kayla Coates provided written testimony in support of the bill (Attachment 8).
Angie Kirchner provided written testimony in support of the bill (Attachment 9).
Larrie Ann Brown provided written testimony in opposition to the bill (Attachment 10).
Alexander Sommer provided written testimony in opposition of the bill (Attachment 11).
William Sneed provided written testimony neutral to the bill (Attachment 12).
The members asked questions of the conferees including: the cost to manufacture insulin versus the prescription cost to consumers, who would cover the shortfall with a $100 cap, the doughnut hole, what insulin costs were in other countries, start-up costs for manufacturing insulin, the lack of manufacturing competition, the cause of price increases, how other states instituted the cap, coupons that covered part of the cost and who was eligible, and whether the bill properly addressed the management and impact of the cap, whether health care providers had seen an increase in health problems for diabetics who stretch or forgo their insulin.
There being no other conferees or questions, Chairperson Vickrey closed the hearing on HB 2557.
