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Read. Follow. Verify.Congressional Hearing on Rising Insulin Costs
Record date · January 1, 2020
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What This Bill Does
The House held a hearing on April 10, 2019, to examine the factors contributing to the rising costs of insulin. Representatives questioned executives from major pharmaceutical manufacturers and pharmacy benefit managers regarding their pricing strategies and supply chain roles.
This hearing serves as a formal inquiry into the pricing practices of insulin manufacturers and pharmacy benefit managers, which directly impacts the out-of-pocket costs for millions of Americans living with diabetes.
Who It Affects
Groups the bill's text affects, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
People with diabetes
This group is directly affected by the retail price of insulin, which is the subject of the committee's investigation.
Pharmaceutical manufacturers
These companies are subject to congressional oversight regarding their pricing and business practices.
Pharmacy benefit managers
These entities are subject to congressional oversight regarding their role in the insulin supply chain and pricing.
Key Facts
- The hearing was held on April 10, 2019, by the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
- The hearing focused on the rising cost of insulin and the roles of manufacturers and pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) in the supply chain.
- Witnesses included executives from Eli Lilly, Novo Nordisk, Sanofi, CVS Health, Express Scripts, and Optumrx.
- The committee requested and received written testimony and answers to follow-up questions from all participating witnesses.
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- The hearing record includes an article from The Boston Globe regarding protests at Sanofi concerning insulin prices.
Frequently Asked Questions
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News Coverage
Follow the record
Votes, people, money & the original sourceFull breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Increased Congressional Scrutiny of PBMs
The inclusion of both manufacturers and pharmacy benefit managers indicates a shift toward examining the entire supply chain rather than just manufacturer pricing.
Connected Entities
Sources
www.govinfo.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance85How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy75Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment40Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz30Current news / social attention level
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