The insulin cost crisis is still a crisis in Tennessee that Congress must fix | Opinion – Tennessean

Congress must pass bills that are stuck behind bureaucracys red tape to help those living with diabetes. Legislation would help 50,000 Tennesseans.

Tiffany Richardson| Guest Columnist

Tennessee Voices: A conversation with Dr. Shindana Feagins

Metro Hospitality Authority Chair Dr. Shindana Feagins spoke with Tennessean Opinion Editor David Plazas.

Nashville Tennessean

Do you remember all the uproar aboutskyrocketing insulin prices and the horrific impactthese prices had on those living with diabetes?

Well, for Michael Hague, a62-year-old man from East Tennessee, that problem still exists. He is still forced to ration his insulin because of its exorbitant cost.There hasnt been much improvement in increasing insulin affordability andaccessibility.

Today, I am asking you to stand behind the ideals you were elected upon:healthcare being a fundamental human right.

Michael needs you to support recent federal legislation proposing to prohibit co-payments for insulin under Medicaid and Medicare prescription drug benefits.

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This legislation entitled theInsulin Access for All Act of 2021would relieve financial and psychological burdens on more than 50,000 Tennesseansthat use insulin to treat their diabetes.

On average, someone is diagnosed with diabetes every 21 seconds. Diabetes rates are on the rise globally.Unfortunately,Tennessee isleading the charge in these diagnosis rates.

About 13%, or more than 650,000 Tennesseans, have been diagnosed with diabetes. Because of the unjustifiably rising costs of insulin. Some are forced to forgo essentials such as groceries for their families. Some have resulted in sellingthe roof over their heads in order to afford a life-saving drug thats needed on a daily basis.

Low-incomeand elderly populationsthat Medicare and Medicaid serve are at the greatest risk of beingaffected by these inexcusably surging prices.

Lets revisit Michaels story to better showcase the struggle these 650,000 Tennesseans face. Michael needsto inject insulin upwards of seventimes a day due to of his diabetes. He must make a conscious decision each time he starts to feel a little woozy from high blood sugar levels.

He asks himself whether or not this needs to be the time to ration his insulin because hes running low and cannot afford more for the month. Without insulin, Michael and many others would succumb to a painful, drawn-outand most importantlyunnecessary death.

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Last year,Tennessee legislators introduced a new billthat sought to put a $100 cap on the amount that would pay for a 30-day insulin supply. This legislation is still undergoing discussion and is not in effect.

Tennessee needs to follow theexample set by other statesthroughout the country and pass bills that are stuck behind bureaucracys red tape to help those living with diabetes.

The Insulin Access for All Act of 2021 is needed to provide more accessible and affordable insulinfor Tennesseans. This new federal legislation is an essential and pressing solution to get a life-saving therapeutic into the hands of diabetes patients without the financial and psychological burdens Ive discussed here.

Roughly10 people were diagnosed with diabetes during the course of our discussion alone.

How many of those people are going to go without insulin today?Tenneseelawmakers need to support legislation for their constituencys diabetic needs.

Tiffany Richardson is a senior fifth-year Ph.D. candidate, diabetes researcher, and educator at Vanderbilt University and Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee.

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The insulin cost crisis is still a crisis in Tennessee that Congress must fix | Opinion - Tennessean