Senate Republicans Back $35 Insulin Cap for Private Plans as 14 GOP Senators Join Bill
Updated
Updated · POLITICO · Jun 24
Senate Republicans Back $35 Insulin Cap for Private Plans as 14 GOP Senators Join Bill
3 articles · Updated · POLITICO · Jun 24
Summary
Four Senate Republicans on the HELP Committee last week backed a Bernie Sanders amendment to cap insulin out-of-pocket costs at $35 a month for people with private insurance, widening GOP support for the policy.
That vote adds to momentum behind a Collins-Shaheen bill that already has 14 Republican co-sponsors, including Jim Banks and Shelley Moore Capito, as health costs rise in importance ahead of the 2026 midterms.
Republicans backing the cap argue insulin’s necessity outweighs free-market objections, reflecting a broader Trump-era willingness in the party to challenge pharmaceutical companies.
A private-market cap would likely shift costs from patients to insurers' broader risk pools rather than directly control list prices, potentially raising premiums.
The measure still faces hurdles in Congress: HELP Chair Bill Cassidy said Sanders' amendment was not germane, though he signaled he could consider the standalone bill after a Congressional Budget Office review.