A survey conducted by U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren reveals that uninsured Americans are paying an average of $98 for Eli Lilly's generic insulin, despite the company's announcement to
reduce the list price to $25 per vial. The survey, which involved over 300 U.S. pharmacies across all 50 states, found that one-third of drug stores charged uninsured patients $164 or more for Lilly's insulin lispro, with the highest-priced pharmacy charging $330.
Major insulin manufacturers, including Lilly, Novo Nordisk, and Sanofi, had previously announced a plan to cut insulin prices by at least 70% by the end of the year. President Joe Biden had also advocated for extending the $35 cap on insulin costs to Medicare recipients.
While insured Americans typically pay a fraction of the list price for prescription drugs, those without insurance often bear the full cost, leading some to ration or forego their medications. Lilly had stated that it would reduce the price of its lispro insulin injection to $25 per vial, but pharmacies have the discretion to charge more.
The National Community Pharmacists Association attributes distorted prices to contracts with pharmacy benefit managers, intermediaries that negotiate discounts with drug manufacturers and reimburse pharmacies for patients' prescriptions.
The survey found that chain stores charged uninsured customers an average of $123 per vial for generic insulin, compared to $63 at independent pharmacies. Walgreens Boots Alliance, Walmart, Rite Aid, and CVS Health charged $166, $161, $89, and $39, respectively, for insulin lispro.
Additionally, the report highlighted the limited availability of generic insulin, with less than a quarter of CVS pharmacies having it in stock compared to higher percentages at Walgreens, Rite Aid, and Walmart. Approximately 43% of the surveyed stores did not carry the drug.
CVS stated that its cash price per vial is $28.99 and that pharmacies can usually order drugs for delivery within 1-2 business days if they are not in stock.
The American Diabetes Association estimates that out of the 37 million people with diabetes in the United States, around 8.4 million use insulin. Photo by Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America, Wikimedia commons.