Senate bill caps insulin costs at $35 for insured patients
Placed on the calendarS. 4189Latest action
Sponsor: Jeanne Shaheen · Senator · NH
AIDecoded by AI · checked against the recordRead the official text
Official title: INSULIN Act of 2026
119th Congress
Topics: Health care
Introduced:
Read the official bill on Congress.govIn plain words
The plain-language version comes first. The official text is always the reference.
Starting 2027, privately insured people would pay no more than $35/month for insulin, with no deductible required.
60-second read · 5 questions answered below
What does this do?
This bill would cap out-of-pocket insulin costs at $35 per month for people with private health insurance, with no deductible, beginning in 2027. From 2028 onward, that cap could be lower if the plan's negotiated price comes in under $35. The bill also requires that rebates and discounts from drug manufacturers be passed fully to the health plan, not kept by middlemen, and it would make it harder to use legal petitions to delay cheaper generic or biosimilar insulin products.
Who does it affect?
People with private health insurance who use insulin would be directly affected by the cost cap. Uninsured people could also be helped through a grant program available in up to 10 states, along with a resource center and a 24/7 hotline connecting them to assistance programs.
Why does it matter?
Without a cap, out-of-pocket insulin costs under private insurance vary widely and can be much higher than $35 per month. Delays in approving lower-cost insulin versions can limit how many affordable options are available on the market.
What does it cost, and who pays?
- Up to $100M in grants over 5 years
- Covers up to 10 states
- Insulin capped at $35/mo for uninsured
AI-drafted summary. Check it against the official text before you act on it.
Read the official bill on Congress.govMake the call
Where does it stand?
- IntroducedMar 25, 2026
- Senate committee
- Senate voteYou are here · Aug 7, 2026
- House
- The president's desk
Right now: it was placed on the , and the official record shows no floor action on it since. If the House changes it, it goes back to the Senate before reaching the president.
Latest action: — Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 552.
See how a call works
How it's being covered
Coverage of this bill from across the press. Each outlet's political lean is labeled where AllSides has rated it, and marked "Not rated" where it has not.
Newest of these articles:
Coverage of this bill so far comes from one side of the spectrum. Read it with that in mind.
forbes.com
Center
forbes.com
Center
foxnews.com
Leans right
health.economictimes.indiatimes.com
Not rated
medpagetoday.com
Not rated
Lean labels describe the news outlet, not this bill or any party. Ratings by AllSides.