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NURS 6050 Week 4 Assignment Legislation Grid and Testimony/Advocacy Statement
Student name
Walden University
NURS 6050
Professor Name
Submission Date
Legislation Grid Template
Use this document to complete Part 1 of the Module 2 Assessment
| Health-related Bill Name | Affordable Insulin Now Act of 2023 |
| Bill Number | S.954 |
| Description | The Affordable Insulin Now Act of 2023 (S.954) will reduce the price of insulin among Americans (Congress, 2023). It deals with this vital question in two sections. First is to limit insured cost-sharing. This provision caps the prices of insulin products to $35/month among users of private health insurance. They were also allowed to pay 25 percent of the negotiated price of insulin in their plan, which was lower. The second provision provides insulin to the uninsured individuals. The program would collaborate with pharmacies and medical practitioners to offer the uninsured individuals reduced-cost insulin. The cost of insulin would be above the limit of $35 that would be paid by the government. |
| Federal or State? | S.954, a federal measure, would affect insulin affordability countrywide. |
| Legislative Intent | S.954 was proposed because of the high cost of insulin that millions of Americans require. High prices may lead to serious health problems as a result of insulin shortages or missed doses. The action aims at making insulin affordable and accessible to everyone. |
| Proponents/ Opponents | Proponents: The bill has some Congressional backers on both sides of the aisle and patient advocacy groups such as the American Diabetes Association. They claim that insulin saves lives, and it should not be costly. |
| Opponents: Pharmaceutical firms can suggest that the pricing restriction hinders the innovation of diabetes treatment. Insurers might also be concerned with the economic impact of the bill. | |
| Target Population | The bill targets the users of the Insulin of the Private Health Insurance. Curtailing out-of-pocket payments for insulin could help this population. Insured diabetics are also targeted. This program assists individuals in obtaining insulin more cheaply. |
| Status of the bill (Is it in hearings or committees?) | The bill S.954 is pending in committees. On March 23, 2023, the Senate introduced the measure and sent it to the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee. Hearing of the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs on November 30, 2023. |
| General Notes/Comments | Elevated prices of insulin are one of the significant issues. S.954 could be the solution to this problem. The bill will rely on managing the legislative process, winning support, and addressing concerns in the pharmaceutical and insurance industries. |
Part 2: Legislation Testimony/Advocacy Statement
I am in favor of S.954, the Affordable Insulin Now Act of 2023. Millions of diabetic Americans are saved by insulin, but its high cost has turned into a national health issue. This vital legislation tackles the problem of insulin affordability and accessibility to everyone (Congress, 2023). As it is costly, diabetic patients are forced to make a tough decision: either limit their insulin intake or skip their doses (Ewen et al., 2019). This may lead to blindness, amputations, and even death, which is unacceptable. We cannot withhold life-saving drugs from individuals who are in dire need of them.
Social Determinants
It is important to acknowledge the role of socioeconomic determinants of health in aggravating this problem.
The poor people have a higher chance of not being insured, and insulin is costly. They have to make a decision between food, accommodation, and insulin. Also, the elderly population that is on a fixed income is particularly vulnerable to high insulin expenditure. Lack of finances often fails to sustain them regarding insulin costs. Also, the complex healthcare system can be a problem for low-educated individuals. The other health barrier is the non-availability of diabetes management and insulin resources. Both men and women with diabetes need different insulin levels during pregnancy (Murray and Reynolds, 2020). Pregnancy stress can be exacerbated by financial hardship due to insulin spending and can impact on a woman and her infant.
Addressing Opponents
I empathize with the concerns of pharmaceutical companies that innovations in the treatment of diabetics will be harmed by the price limit. The current system cannot be sustained. We will be able to cooperate in order to find cheap and continuous research solutions. Other pricing strategies, such as value-based pricing, encourage innovation and make sure that patients can afford them (Milstead & Short, 2019).
More government funding towards diabetes research is also able to sustain innovation without the high prices of drugs. S.954 has the potential of becoming a cost issue. But we are able to reason in the long run. Insulin could be cheaper to use, but the cost of fixing the issues caused by a lack of insulin injections could prove to be very expensive. Furthermore, cheaper insulin will be able to manage diabetes and make people healthier, which reduces the healthcare costs for all.
Conclusion
Finally, S.954 discusses a developing issue in the field of public health in a reasonable way. I would like to encourage people to put the health of millions of Americans who need insulin first. With the enactment of this bill, we will be a step closer to having a system of healthcare that is fair and acknowledges the social determinants of health and supplies all with life-saving drugs.
References
congress. (2023). Congress.gov | Library of Congress. Congress.gov. https://www.congress.gov/
Milstead, & Short, N. M. (2019). Health policy and politics. In Google Books. Jones & Bartlett Learning.https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=P8E6DwAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PP1&dq=health+policy+and+politics:+A+nurse%27s+guide+6th+edition&ots=kjjw7U8uMT&sig=fmvv9ygJQMKhmAz9ik7h2Smh-lM
Murray, S. R., & Reynolds, R. M. (2020). Short‐ and long‐term outcomes of gestational diabetes and its treatment on fetal development. Prenatal Diagnosis, 40(9), 1085–1091. https://doi.org/10.1002/pd.5768
Related Assignment for the NURS 6050, visit: NURS 6050 Week 6
