One of the goals of many members of Congress has been to lower the cost of insulin. However, the latest bill to lower prescription drug prices removes a provision to cap patients’ insulin costs at $35 per month.
That was done because there is some question as to whether the insulin cap could comply with the complicated Senate rules governing the process for bypassing what most expect to be a Republican filibuster of the legislation to lower prescription drug costs.
Democratic leaders say the bill to lower insulin costs will be handled in a separate bi-partisan bill authored by Sens. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) and Susan Collins (R-Maine), which is moving forward and could get a vote in the Senate this month.
Because of Senate rules, the Shaheen-Collins bill will require support from at least 10 Republican senators to clear a filibuster and pass. However, it is far from clear that 10 Republicans can be found to support the bill. Some are citing fears of interfering with the free market as the reason for their opposition to the bill.
Democrats also claim the Republicans will attempt to block any bill to lower drug costs to deny them a legislative victory in this election year when control of Congress is on the line.
