The term, cost of living, normally represents the cost of necessities like food, shelter, clothing etc. While health care also is normally included in the cost of living, I am going to devote this post to the cost of prescription drugs, and specifically insulin in the US. There are estimated to be 30 million Americans with diabetes, a third of whom require insulin for their treatment. For these people this is literally the cost of living because they cannot survive without insulin. Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-Georgia) proposed a $35-a-month cap on insulin cost to patients on private insurance because, as you may know, the cost of insulin has tripled over ten years, well over the rate of inflation. The Senate parliamentarian ruled that this amendment did not qualify for reconciliation meaning it would need 60 votes to pass. With all 50 Democrats on board, no more than 7 Republicans would support it. The amendment therefore went down to defeat. Republicans had also opposed allowing Medicare to negotiate drug prices. That measure fortunately survived as it was not subject to the filibuster rule. The reason given by Republicans for their opposition on these issues is that government interference in the price of drugs was against their free-market philosophy and would hamper the research and development needed to bring new drugs to market. While this may affect the development of drugs to treat cancer, auto-immune disorders etc., insulin has now been around for almost a century, works well in its present form and does not need ground-breaking research for its improvement. There is no justification for the inflation in insulin prices unless you consider campaign donations by drug companies. I understand this is how our system "works". I am not happy about Sen. Kyrsten Sinema's support for hedge fund managers' carried interest loophole or Sen. Joe Manchin's support for coal mining but, in my opinion, opposing a cap on the out-of-pocket cost to patients for a drug that has been around for so long and is vital for survival is a bridge is too far.
We can only hope that 10 million or so insulin-dependent citizens and their families and friends will give this issue due consideration this November and not let themselves be misled by the Republican siren songs of low taxes, abortion and gun rights. Our lives depend on it - and I am not just referring to the diabetics among us.