INDIANAPOLIS--One of Indiana’s largest companies is being called out by protesters. A group with T1 International gathered outside Eli Lilly headquarters Monday to demand the pharmaceutical company lower the the out of pocket cost of insulin.
Lilly says they’re working on it.
“We’re bringing attention to this major issue and hoping we can convince Eli Lilly and these organizations to lower the price of insulin because quite frankly it will save lives,” said Ian Devaney, with T1, which is a patient-led, non-profit group that advocates for lower insulin costs, talking to WISH TV.
The organization says 1 in 4 people with diabetes last year reported rationing their insulin supply because of high out of pocket costs. That’s backed up bt the journal “Annals of Internal Medicine”.
Lilly, which makes several products to treat diabetes, said in many cases the cost has already come down.
They provided the following statement in response to thye protest:
“Lilly is committed to making insulin affordable for all people living with diabetes, regardless of income or insurance status. In the past years, we introduced multiple solutions that have progressively lowered the out-of-pocket cost for Lilly insulin. Today, anyone is eligible to purchase their Lilly insulin prescription for $35 or less per month, regardless of the number of pens or vials they use, and whether they are uninsured or use commercial insurance, Medicaid, or are enrolled in a participating Medicare Part D plan.
The fact is that our solutions are making a real impact for people with diabetes. Despite rising deductibles, the average monthly out-of-pocket cost for Lilly insulin has dropped by 44 percent, to $21.80, over the last five years. Lilly has not increased list prices for any of our insulins since 2017 and continues to take steps to help lower out-of-pocket costs.
Lilly advocates for comprehensive solutions and public policies, such as passing through rebates directly to people who use insulin and limiting out-of-pocket costs, to move the U.S. healthcare system from a series of patchwork solutions to systemic change that helps people access and afford their insulin, and other lifesaving drugs. Until gaps in the healthcare system are filled, Lilly will continue to provide affordability solutions to people who need them. Anyone paying more than $35 per month for Lilly insulin can call the Lilly Diabetes Solution Center at (833) 808-1234 or go to insulinaffordability.com to learn more about our insulin affordability solutions.“
