Insulin cap update: Warnock targets year's end

Sen. Raphael Warnock's goal for passing legislation capping insulin costs is the end of the year, and he is hoping to have a full CBO score soon, he told reporters yesterday.

Why it matters: The push to limit patient expenses at $35 per month for people with private insurance or who are uninsured has been ongoing for months.

• So far, there has not been movement on the floor, but Warnock's latest comments indicate that talks are taking place behind the scenes.

What's next: Warnock said a key step is getting a full CBO score. The CBO scores the $35 cap for private insurance at $629 million over 10 years, according to Warnock's office, far from an insurmountable amount to offset.

• They are waiting for the score for the other part of the bill, providing the $35 cap for uninsured people. HHS estimates that program at $670 million over a decade.
• "We've worked with the leader to get that expedited and I hear that we're pretty close, so that's really the next step," Warnock said of a full CBO score. There is still no offset identified, but Warnock said having the full CBO score is a key step to getting the offset.

What they're saying: "My goal is to get this moved, to see this on the floor before the end of the year," Warnock said.

The big picture: The bill, cosponsored by GOP Sen. John Kennedy, now has six GOP cosponsors, including newly-added J.D. Vance and Josh Hawley.

• Sens. Jeanne Shaheen and Susan Collins have their own insulin legislation, which will have to be combined somehow with the Warnock-Kennedy measure.
• That legislation is also gaining steam, with seven GOP cosponsors, including new additions such as Sens. Chuck Grassley and Mike Braun.