Gavin Newsom launches affordable insulin for California diabetics

from Kristen HuangCalMatters

This story was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters.

Starting next year, Californians with diabetes will be able to buy state insulin at steeply discounted prices, Governor Gavin Newsom announced today.

Long-acting insulin pens will be available in pharmacies for $11 per pen or $55 for a pack of five starting January 1. The pens are interchangeable with glargine, the generic alternative to Lantus, a once-daily injection that regulates blood sugar. An equivalent amount of Lantus sells for more than $92 at pharmacies, according to data compiled by the governor’s office, but consumers may pay a different price based on their insurance.

“California didn’t wait for the pharmaceutical industry to do the right thing — we took matters into our own hands,” Newsom said in a statement released at 3 a.m. PT. “No Californian should need insulin shots or go into debt to stay alive.”

Approximately 3.5 million Californians have diabetes, according to the American Diabetes Association.

State and federal lawmakers have focused in recent years on the high cost of insulin, a life-saving drug used by diabetics. Price caps set by the Biden administration in 2023 as well as public pressure have reduce the price nationallyaccording to health economists.

The sale of insulin is part of the state’s CalRx initiative, aimed at lowering prescription drug prices for Californians. Today’s message is coming three years after Newsom announced that the state would crack down on the cost of insulin. The first vials of insulin will be sold two years after the governor’s promised 2024 delivery date.

Newsom initially promised the state would spend $50 million to contract with Civica Rx, a nonprofit drugmaker based in Utah. The state committed another $50 million to a manufacturing plant in California, but did not provide an update on that project.

In a statement, Elizabeth Landsberg, director of the Division of Health Care Access, which oversees CalRx, said the program is “committed to transparent pricing, eliminating hidden costs and ensuring equitable access to medications for uninsured, underinsured and vulnerable residents.”

Less than a week ago, Newsom signed legislation capping insurance out-of-pocket costs for insulin at $35.

This is a current story and will be updated.

Supported by the California Health Care Foundation (CHCF), which works to ensure that people have access to the care they need, when they need it, at a cost they can afford. Visit www.chcf.org to learn more.

This article was originally published on CalMatters and is republished under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivatives license.