As a former health insurance exec, I don’t think the public appreciates how heartless & profit-obsessed the industry is. One example that doesn't get enough attention? Low-income people with diabetes who have insurance - but still can't afford the insulin they need to live. (1/9)

In many cases, people with diabetes have insurance through work or the marketplace -- but their copays & deductibles are so high, they can’t afford to pick up their prescriptions. Which means no insulin... or cutting out a household necessity. All due to industry greed. (2/9)

1 in 4 Americans (many of them insured) put their lives at risk by rationing insulin. To provide some relief, CT lawmakers introduced a bill to cap the cost of insulin supplies at $25/month for health plans regulated by the state, like Medicaid. (3/9) https://www.registercitizen.com/politics/article/Insurance-industry-balks-at-health-reform-measures-15426437.php

Unfortunately, the proposed law would NOT apply to those who get insurance through an employer, because those plans don't have state oversight. It would only apply to a small group in CT (the poorest). And still, lobbyists for the insurance industry are trying to kill it. (4/9)

The bill would save lives, but that's of little concern to the lobbying group for the state’s insurers. They argue that capping copays "doesn’t do anything to address the actual cost of the drugs and the supplies.” I honestly don’t know how those people sleep at night. (5/9)

There are 2 things to understand here: 1) We’re talking about pocket change compared to the huge profits insurers make, but they don’t want to give up a dime. By trying to kill this bill, they’re putting the interests of their shareholders above the interests of patients. (6/9)

The other thing to understand? The insurance companies, through public comments, are acknowledging that they're largely incapable of holding down the cost of medications by any means other than making their customers pay more out of their own pockets for life-saving drugs. (7/9)

The industry’s top lobbyist in CT says insurers use copays as leverage in negotiating lower prices with drug companies. That's like admitting they view patients as hostages, and threaten to deny patients affordable access to drugs they need, unless they get lower prices. (8/9)

This shouldn't happen in America. If health insurers can’t come up with better ways to help their customers manage medical expenses, what exactly is their “value proposition?” In other words: Why do we need private insurers in our health care system?

It's a good question. (/END)