Nearly 1 in 5 US Adults With Diabetes Ration Insulin to Save Money, Study Finds
The cost of insulin remains a barrier for many Americans with diabetes who depend on the drug, research published Monday suggests.
A study in the Annals of Internal Medicine found that in 2021, nearly 1 in 5 adults in the U.S. with diabetes either skipped, delayed or used less insulin than was needed to save money. That comes out to roughly 1.3 million adults, or 16.5% of those who need insulin.
The findings were based on data from the 2021 National Health Interview Survey, which is conducted annually by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and which interviews tens of thousands of Americans about their health-related experiences.
It was the first time that the CDC had included questions about insulin use, though concerns about sky-high insulin prices have been reported for years.
Starting Jan. 1, the Inflation Reduction Act, signed into law by President Joe Biden in August, will cap the monthly cost of insulin at $35 for seniors on Medicare. The bill, however, will leave out millions of Americans with private health insurance as well as those who are uninsured.