Insulin Fills by Medicare Enrollees and Out-of-Pocket Caps Under the Inflation Reduction Act

Medicare beneficiaries’ out-of-pocket costs for insulin exceeded $1 billion in 2020 vs $236 million in 2007. High costs lead some patients with diabetes to reduce adherence to insulin, increasing the risk of adverse health outcomes.

Although efforts to cap patients’ cost sharing for insulin have existed in some states since 2020, and in certain Medicare Part D plans since 2021, in January 2023 the Inflation Reduction Act capped cost sharing for insulin at $35 for a 1-month supply for all Part D beneficiaries and, therefore, may have a greater effect on adherence. This study measures the association of this cost-sharing cap with insulin fills.

The full study can be viewed at Journal of the American Medical Association.

Myerson, R., Qato, D. M., Goldman, D. P., & Romley, J. A. (2023). Insulin fills by Medicare enrollees and out-of-pocket caps under the Inflation Reduction Act. JAMA.