Senate Democrats say they plan to challenge a decision by a lawmaker rejecting a proposal sponsored by Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) to cap insulin prices from the Inflation Reduction Act, according to a Democrat familiar with the plan.
Warnock’s proposal to cap out-of-pocket insulin costs at $35 a month is currently in the bill, but the parliamentarian is expected to rule in the Senate that it is inconsistent with the Byrd rule, which prohibits setting policy in budget bills for equalization that have a tangential impact on costs and revenues.
But Democrats plan to challenge the lawmaker’s decision on the floor, meaning they would need 60 votes to drop an objection to keeping the insulin provisions in the bill.
Any effort to oust the congressman would likely fall short of 10 Republican votes, but would put Republicans on the record as opponents of the $35-a-month cap on patient insulin costs, which Democrats could use as political ammunition in the midterm elections.
“I think it’s hard for elected officials to go home, as everyone is headed now, and try to explain, if they choose to vote that way, why they don’t support getting relief for the millions of Americans who are being crushed by these insulin bills,” Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) said before the floor clash.
Maine Sen. Susan Collins (R) said it was “unfortunate” that Democrats were turning the issue into a political football.
Collins co-sponsored a bipartisan bill with Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (DN.H.) to lower insulin costs.
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Their bill would encourage insulin manufacturers to lower their list prices and limit out-of-pocket costs for diabetes patients by ensuring that group and individual market health plans drop deductibles and cost-sharing to no more than $35 a month , according to a summary provided by their offices.
“I think it’s unfortunate that it was included” in the reconciliation package, Collins said of the insulin proposal, which is expected to be defeated on Saturday.
Michael Schnell contributed.
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