Advocacy

Chronic Disease Flexible Coverage Act

Currently, IRS guidelines recommend that High-Deductible Health Plans (HDHPs) provide pre-deductible coverage for preventive services and medications. The 14 drugs and services include diabetes and liver disease screenings, glucose and blood pressure monitoring devices, heart disease medication, hypertension medication, asthma treatment, and more. After the guidelines were created in 2019, 3 in 4 employers have covered these services for their beneficiaries.

This bill would codify the IRS guidelines to ensure all HDHPs provide the already recommended coverage, especially given the high deductibles in these plans.

Learn more here.

Prevent Diabetes Act

This bill would allow Medicare patients to receive virtual training from the Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program for three more years.

Learn more here.

Affordable Insulin Now Act

Currently, 40 million Americans have diabetes, and 8.4 million depend on insulin to survive. 1 in 4 Americans who rely on insulin have cut back on using it, or are rationing their supply, many now traveling to Canada, where the same drug is roughly $35 a month. Three companies have a monopoly over the production of insulin. In 1999, the average cost of insulin was $21. Today, that number is over $300. Out-of-pocket costs for insulin are, on average, $64 a month. In 2022, President Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act, capping the price of insulin at $35 a month for Medicare beneficiaries.

This bill sought to cap the cost of insulin at $35 per month for all Americans. However, it has failed to pass Congress twice and has yet to be reintroduced in the 119th Congress.

Learn more here.

Our Advocacy Movement

Letter-Writing Event

Thank you to the students and faculty who joined us to handwrite letters to our representatives in Congress on capping the price of insulin at $35!

Lobbying Workshop

Thank you to Dr. Olunife Akinmolayan and DC Congressman Dr. Oye Owolewa for sharing their strategies in advocacy and lobbying. Dr. Akinmolayan guided our members through a lesson on letter-writing to legislators. His key takeaway was to make your letter "SPEAK:"

Story: lead with lived experience
Policy: tie your story to a solution
Engage: build your advocacy community
Ask: make a clear and specific ask
Keep the conversation going

Rep. Owolewa reminded our members that everyone has the power to create the change they want to see. "You are worthy of being listened to, of having your ideas taken seriously," he addressed the audience. He also shared his own journey from pharmacy to public service, inspiring our members to take action and write letters on chronic disease legislation.

Thank you to our incredible guest speakers, our community partner Capitol City Pharmacy-Medical Reserve Corp, and the Georgetown Neighborhood Library for making this event possible!

Page updated

Report abuse