This year’s Colorado legislative session was an exciting one for people with diabetes. Legislation was passed (HB 19-1216) and signed into law that seeks to limit a person’s out of pocket costs for insulin. Colorado is the first state in the country to pass this kind of law. The law caps the cost-sharing a covered person is required to pay for prescription insulin drugs to $100 per one-month supply of insulin. This is for as much insulin as is needed, even if it is more than one type of insulin.
The law also requires the department of law to investigate the pricing of prescription insulin drugs and submit a report of its findings to the governor, the commissioner of insurance, and the judiciary committees of the senate and house of representatives.
While my work obligations did not allow me to go an testify in person in favor of this bill, I did send written testimony is support of the bill on behalf of all the diabetes educators in Colorado. I am the State Grassroots Coordinator for the Colorado Coordinating Body (CB) and I have watched this and other legislation that will affect the lives of people with diabetes closely this year. I had the privilege of being invited to the bill signing ceremony on May 22, 2019. It was so exciting to be there in the Governor’s office as he signed the bill. There were approximately 40 advocates for the bill there to witness the signing.
I would encourage anyone that has any interest in the legislative process on the state level to get involved with your state CB as the State Grassroots Coordinator. If your state does not have a State Grassroots Coordinator, volunteer to take on this role. It is very rewarding. Legislation usually passes much more rapidly at the state level than the federal level, so in the course of a few months you can watch the entire process from bill introduction, testimony and voting to the the governor signing the bill into law.