California to become first state to sell cheap insulin through state-backed program
California to become first state to sell cheap insulin through state-backed program
Comments
233-
-
No need to stop at insulin.
-
Gotta start somewhere.
-
-
We’ll see how many red-staters cross state lines to buy their evil, demonic $11 insulin.
-
Watch them take advantage of this while acting like “California is the worst state”
-
I have family that loves to say this. They moved from CA to live in a red, welfare state that siphons more federal funding than they generate.
I remind them often that my state pays for their state.
-
-
Millions, weekly.
-
Socialist insulin isn't as good as the American stuff.
-
Yep, time to flee the leopards to save their faces from being eaten.
Shame there aren't as many farming opportunities on the Pacific coast as there are out midwest. Oh well. I'm sure those ones will just have to pull themselves up by their bootstraps.
-
-
As a Newsom hater, I have to admit this is a big win for everyone. While he's still very far from an actual solution to the country's root problems - you can vote for him (if that's an option), and then continue protesting and pushing for more reforms. I'm not quite as optimistic to believe this will happen, let alone succeed, but it's an idea.
-
Newsom can be shamed into doing the right thing. Trump/Vance/Miller will disappear the shamers. Completely different realities.
The most transphobic version of Newsom is a return to needing several doctors to write a letter saying you are trans. We're already seeing Trump denying the right to exist and forcing the next generation of trans kids into navigating black markets for T shots or forced to grow with the wrong hormones.
-
navigating black markets for T shots or forced to grow with the wrong hormones.
-
-
california has been looking for a low cost insulin for a few years, i think they were moving towards this for a while. the resistance is coming from the trioply that owns the other formulations of insulin.
-
Quick reminder that insulin was invented when Hitler was still a struggling art student.
Invented by a Canadian who sold the patent to a Canadian public university for a (Canadian) dollar, because he recognized that this should not be commercialized.
Insulin is available for pennies almost everywhere in the world because of this decision, but not in the USA
-
-
-
$11 per month, that's only about double what it costs in most of the world. Wait... Still $11 PER PEN
Wtf did it cost before!!??
-
As a former pharmacy worker in California, anywhere from $40 to $200, depending on the patient's insurance. There's a reason Eli Lily and other companies monitor the supply truck drivers and call the cops if they stop.
-
At 3ml/pen and 100units/ml, that puts it on par (retail price) with Canada and Germany and around 50% more than France and UK.
As with a lot of US health prices, listed prices are massively inflated compared to average out of pocket expenses, creating horrible holes for uninsured people. In the US there are some recent caps for insulin cost of $35/month at the low end, and other caps in the $100/month range from what I've read.
Here is a good price comparison https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11147642/
-
-
I don't want to go down the rabbit hole, but I'm wondering is this ia CA paying the difference on what would be price gouging, or CA actually controlling the process, to erase any opportunity for that price gouging. That latter would likely be permanent, the former would last only as long as the administration isn't seeking budget cuts.
-
They're partnering with a non-profit 501(c)(3) generic manufacturer that was set up by groups of hospitals.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civica_Rx
Seems as legit as you're going to find in the US.
-
-
I fucking loathe Newsome - but this is hard to complain about
-
For comparison...
In Aus I'm paying ~$32 for 25 pens
-
We have it decent in Australia, but for the Americans reading on, the bar is so ridiculously low you can walk over it.
I hope one day Medicare can actually be universal, and not the private subsidy model we have currently.
I dunno about you, but finding bulk billing is a pain the arse now, and in certain areas it simply doesn't exist. Not to mention my premium mouth bones which aren't covered for some stupid reason.
I just wish we'd finally kill off private health. Private health is such a scam we only take out because we have a two tiered system and there's a tax discount.
I really don't like Australians talking about how good we have it, when it's kinda meh, and actively getting worse.
That all being said, yeah, the PBS is pretty good and I'm glad insulin is affordable.
Thank Christ we didn't get the Libs back (for American readers, that's the conservative party), we could do SO much better given how wealthy we are per person.
But, anyone who doesn't want to pay more in tax in order to get truly public healthcare doesn't know how to do maths. We could just pay what we pay in private health premiums already, in tax, and we'd probably get way better care per person (because profit is inherently inefficient).
Abolish private health.
Thanks for being accosted with my rant.
-
100% agree. Dental should be covered.
I don't mind private health existing but it should only exist without all the bs policy to force you into it and without leeching off public funding through tax breaks and Medicare funding.
Bulk billing fortunately doesn't impact me because I see a team at hospital outpatients for almost everything.
Fortunately PBS brings one of my speciality meds down to affordability from a few hundo K per year.
My big gripe at the moment is ndss funding for CGM sensors is non-existent if you aren't type 1. So it's ~100 per fortnight if you want good glucose monitoring but have some non type 1 need for them.
-
US user here: I REALLY appreciate the context. I hear surprisingly little about the Australian side of this kind of thing. Thank you!
-
Thanks for being accosted with my rant.
No need for that. I feel informed by this. Thank you.
-
I also hate private health, and in fact, cop the additional medicare levy on the chin because id rather pay 2-5k in tax that funds medicare, than get some junk private health cover. The problem with bulk billing is it's so dependent on location. I have great GPs that can get an appointment within a day or two. More rurally you're waiting 6-8 weeks and paying $90 a pop. Despite their being flaws in Australia you can still at least get emergency life saving care that won't bankrupt your family. I'm not as well versed but there's also the safety net for medications which I believe stops the horrendous out of pocket expense across a year
-
the bar is so ridiculously low you can walk over it.
the bar is at the bottom of the marianas trench.
-
-
I have a relative that needs about 1800 a month for their Insulin. They're disabled but if they applied for disability they wouldn't be poor enough to qualify for public assistance and the disability payments wouldn't be enough to cover the price of insulin so they're forced to live in poverty until they old enough to retire.
-
That's like covering rent for two extra people. That's insane.
-
-
In Portugal - which has a National Health Service - I'm getting 5 pens for €0 with a doctor's prescription (and there are mechanisms for just getting new prescriptions regularly or on request without needing to go for a doctor's appointment every time), as would anybody else that needs it, by the way, as it's not means tested.
That said, without said prescription it would be about €70 for 5 pens.
Also the local politicians are slowly but surely destroying the National Health Service in order to privatise Healthcare bit by bit.
-
Yeah that's what we're doing in Australia too, our Medicare system used to be great free doctors everywhere etc.
Now they're fewer and far between and private health companies got a boost from the government since the government said if you don't have private health you will pay more in tax
-
-
-
Holy shit, I can't believe this is real
-
What took them so long?
-
Go away.
-
because the 3 companies that made the different variations were fighting tooth and nails for anything similar to even being developed for years and years.
-
The democratic and republican parties working together to make sure Americans dont get good things. Its hilarious that morons think the Dems are the good guys, and that if only it wasnt for all those damn repukes, they could have free healthcare. Meanwhile, the dems have been working hard to make sure that Bernie didnt win the nom in 2016, thus making sure that Americans didnt get free healthcare. Then again in 2020, when all the people up for the nom(all of which had a free healthcare plan) were told to do one, because Biden was the only one who could beat Trump. The fact he was also the only one up for the nom that didnt have a free healthcare plan is just a coincidence... And then again, in 2024, they gave Harris the nod after she dropped her free healthcare plan that she had back in 2020. But she was talking about... thats right, cheaper insulin... Funny that, huh?
When you take away all the trans stuff and the immigration stuff and the gun stuff, you are left with two right wing parties that agree more than they disagree, and both are run by corrupt public officials in their 80s and backed by self interested donors.
I have no idea what the solution is, but it sure as fuck aint the dems anymore than it is the repukes.
-
"Myeeeeh I have to find something to complain about this objectively good thing that is occuring"
-
-
-
Hey look! A liberal doing some actual fucking liberalism for once. What a nice change of pace.
-
Newsom is all over the place. Sometimes his position is straight from the GOP playbook (criminalizing being homeless) and sometimes it is liberal like this. He is trying to be everything while preparing for a '28 presidential run.
-
Isn't this leftism, not liberalism?
-
California producing and distributing the insulin directly would be leftism
-
Insofar as they're rebeling against capitalism to provide for the needs of the people. Most Leftist belief systems would favor insulin costing nothing or be priced on a sliding scale based on your ability to pay.
-
-
-
US trying to do a single thing not-for-profit challenge (apparently possible).
-
Yeah! Good job, guys. Keep it up.
-
Socialism!!! Let me pay an arm for my 'murica insulin! /S
-
That might still turn out a profit, just not as much as it could. Once you have the tech running it & distributing it is cheap.
-
-
Some of the only good government policy I've seen in my lifetime.
-
Definitely a win! It's important to note what type of insulin this is, insulin glargine (a long acting insulin). For those who are already on Lantus or Toujeo it will definitely be a plus. Hopefully next they'll do short acting insulins (lispro and aspart)
-
I read that the company Civica, makes 3 types of insulin, but I'm not educated about insulin and also don't know if all three will be offered
-
-
I really wish Gavin Newsom would stop being transphobic so I could appreciate when he actually does good for people.
-
Is he actively, continuously transphobic, or was it just that time everyone talks about? One time is too many, but there are way worse folks for sure. I don't really follow Californian politics though
-
He just vetoed a bill that would have allowed trans people to legally stockpile a year’s worth of hormones. This happened during a time when Republicans are floating national HRT bans for trans people of any age. His excuse was that this would somehow raise healthcare costs… By paying for a year’s worth of medication that people are already on and are going to stay on for the next year. It is a flimsy excuse and he’s a POS for it.
He also vetoed a bill last year that would have expedited licensing for out of state doctors who moved to California if those doctors practice gender affirming health or mental health care as part of their practice. This is a big deal not only because it’s shitty, but because there’s an expected increase in trans patients after care is banned in other states.
-
He repeated the lie “keeping up with pronouns is difficult”
-
I believe there have been 3 different instances this year but i'll be honest with you im tired and dont feel like looking and vetting sources. Feel free to look it up on your own.
-
he still believes he can court some on the fence transphobic voters i guess? hes okay with everything else lgbtq+ just not trans rights. no doubt he has financial benefactor that is pressuring him to not heed trans right.
-
-
It doesn’t have to be a good look, but it seemed more like cowardice and being manipulatable than it did actively hating trans people.
That’s the case for a lot of Americans. They’re opposed to the idea of their tax dollars being used for gender surgery; when it’s pointed out people pay for them themselves, they’re like “…Well, then I don’t care, do what you want.”
And yes, I’m aware that kind of cowardice is sometimes just as bad as hatefulness. I’d certainly rather a leader with a stronger spine than him.
-
That's the case for a lot of Americans. They're opposed to the idea of their tax dollars being used for gender surgery;
That’s ignorance and bigotry as all healthcare should be covered even when individuals have rare conditions that cost millions to treat, covering trans care costs peanuts in comparison and improves health outcomes. The sky didn’t fall when the Yukon fully funded gender affirming care.
-
It doesn’t have to be a good look, but it seemed more like cowardice and being manipulatable than it did actively hating trans people.
So in other words, even worse than over bigotry.
-
-
Removed by Moderator — Modlog
-
-
It’s not clear in the article, but I think this insulin is actually being manufactured in the US.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civica_Rx
“Civica is growing U.S. generic drug manufacturing capabilities with a new 140,000 square-foot sterile injectable manufacturing facility in Petersburg, Virginia, representing a $124.5 million investment”
-
Born with immune system that destroys its own insulin producing cells -> forced to pay $11 a week (depends on person) for the rest of your life.
-
Better than the 100 or so private companies are asking.
-
I get what you are saying but it's still a step in the history of this:
Step 0: Die of diabetes as only option
Step 1: pay exorbitant pricing to NOT die of diabetes
Step 2: pay high but much more reasonable price to NOT die of diabetes
Step 3: ?????
-
Step 3 != profit
-
-
Gotta play life in hard mode for all the achievements
-
Or do what Sociopathic Oligarchs do, and put it into Cheat Mode, make a ton of money, then use your money to change the rules so nobody else can use Cheat Mode.
-
-
So it takes less labor to sustain your insulin needs than to sustain your food requirements. Universal Healthcare would be better but this is pretty reasonable.
-
Insulin is only a part of the treatment/cost, and most of us are on several different types (fast-acting/long-acting). If you're on a pump, it's usually just fast-acting, but pumps are expensive. There's also monitoring devices like glucose monitors and test strips, which are pricey. The sensors for continuous glucose monitors are about $100 a piece without insurance and last a week or two. Glucagon is a pretty useful thing to have on hand if you're on insulin. It's like Narcan for insulin, and it's not inexpensive. There's also that little matter of increased doctor's office visits and frequent bloodwork, even with insurance, the copays and deductables can be burdensome. They won't write the script if you don't show up regularly. My diabetes doesn't cost as much as my food, but it's close, and I have decent insurance. All of that, and you're still likely to have complications to some degree in your old age. Nothing about having diabetes is reasonable- universal healthcare would make the pill easier to swallow though.
-
-
-
We can't afford this, Argentina needs $40 billion so their leader can get a haircut that doesn't make him look like the manager of a rock band in the 70s.
-
How dare you. Lord Citrone made several big investments reliant on the Argentina economy.
The bailout would deliver a major windfall to Rob Citrone, a billionaire hedge fund manager with significant investments in Argentina.
https://edition.cnn.com/2025/10/12/economy/argentina-america-bailout-currency
-
The real question, this administration doesn't do shit for free. What are they getting for their 40B?
-
-
I'm curious about the formula. My wife has jumped around a few different insulin companies and while they all had the same active ingredients, the inactive ingredients played a major part in her absorption.
-
I'm sure it won't be a fit for everyone's daily use, but at the very least it should stop people from rationing their doses.
-
type 2 can afford to ration thiers if they need insulin, but less likely for type 1, since they are insulin deficient and they need to have a constant supply, or they get KETOACIDOSIS.
-
-
when i was visiting the r/ diabetes, yea there are different kinds of insulin from the 3 companies. theres seems to be delayed released, or immediate release, or another that works later than normal gradually to help regulate it more easily. is your wife type 1? i know type 1 uses CGM(sensors and the device) the and insulin pumps to moniter thier insulin levels, also super expensive. this is how the companies like elly lily, sanofi, and Novo nordisk can GOUGE people, because they have trioply for insulin for a long time.
-
-
Can't wait for the border checks for "illegal" insulin
-
God bless Governor Newsom.
Wouldn't be surprised if California is the first to secede when the fourth reich really begins to hit.
-
Insulin is free where I am (not US). Never paid for insulin. I am using 6 pens per month.
-
For a 30 day supply and not per
vilevial, right? Right?(Also, Gov sites apparantly blocks Tor 😕)
-
11 dollars for a vial/pen would still be cheap.
-
-
This is interesting
-
It's interesting. It's really interesting that you would say that. Just interesting.
-
-
Jesus, just make it free at that point!! Someone desperate will still not get it, and then it’ll cost the state a hell of a lot more than $11 to deal with the consequences.
-
You would think considering the cost, there would be programs for people without the funding with such a disability to get access to medication.
And sure I totally see and understand your point and I'm with you there. But a step in the right direction should not be scoffed at or mocked. Progress in a country like the US even if in a single state is undoubtedly a good thing.
-
I’m just fed up with half-measures being the best we can hope for. And I’m tired of reading stories about people dying from rationing their insulin.
-
-
-
NO! NO! NO! THIS IS SOCIALISM OR COMMUNISM! WHATEVER THIS IS! THIS IS BAAAD SO SO SO SO BAD! EVERYONE AROUND ME TOLD ME SO! SOCIAL MEDIA APPS INFLUENCERS TOLD ME SO THIS IS BAD! THIS IS AWFUL! NOOOO I DON'T WANT IT
-
Great, now do glp1
-
$11
As it should be
No it's not, all necessary healthcare should be free at the point of use. As should be basic housing and food.
To me it sounds insane that you have to pay for insulin, which you must have in order to survive. If anything, I would think that $11 per pen is still at or above the cost price for the manufacturer, insulin is dirt cheap to make once you have the production line.
All that said, this is of course a step in the right direction. I won't be surprised if there's a wave of media attacks on him a month from now, all suspiciously linked to some shady ad firm with ties to big pharma.
-
Finally a thing gets done at a local level, because people wanted it to happen.
Now move to the south and influence the local elections.
-
Don't unilaterally condemn yourself to Christian misery just to be gerrymandered.
The Free State Project got what they wanted by coordinating first, then all moving. They didn't coordinate on bears afterwards but the first part of the plan was solid.
-
-
Imagine having to pay for healthcare
*European man (women have to pay, because, well, patriarchy and stuff) -
CA is 175 years old as a US state.
1 socialized prescription drug per 175 years with over 19,000 prescription drugs regulated by the FDA.
We will have socialized prescription drugs in 3,325,000 years in n CA. 175/1 = 3,325,000/19,000
This is now perfectly organized for the people that believe in centrist liberal baby steps.
-
It will get blocked and won't happen, calling it now
-
-
Congratulations, you barely achieved the bare fucking minimum. Go fuck yourself, free healthcare for everyone!
-
All or nothing, right. /s
Hard to know how youse all end up with nothing so often
-
Congratulations, you achieved a good first step. This could the beginning of the pathway to free healthcare for everyone!
FTFY
-
Perfect is the enemy of good.
-
Real, and people wonder why Kamala lost.
The way people like OP spit in the face of everything that's remote progress, I literally can't tell them apart from MAGA commenters the majority of the time.
They oppose the exact same policies.
-
-
Do you comprehend the complexity of the shitty system we exist in?
If you want finger snap type shit you only need to look at trump for how well it actually works in the capitalistic world we live in.
-
Controversial take (though maybe not in this community):
If it's needed for survival, it should be free. No exceptions.
I would much prefer my taxes go toward making insulin to give away than bombs to give away.
I'd even, gasp, go so far as to say I'd happily give it away to citizens and illegal immigrants alike. Oh hell, everyone on the planet. No strings attached.
This is where my taxes should go. I can't stand the rhetoric that it's bad tax payers are footing the bill for those without insurance and those here illegally. That's what a society is supposed to do.
Imagine giving Palestinians insulin instead of bombs? Instead we give them both and wonder why they get mad about the free bombs without looking at the free insulin. I mean how ungrateful are they? Can they not say thank you?!
/s
As a right wing anti gov type, I agree wholeheartedly.
Devil's advocate: Medi-CAL (California's Medicaid program, already known for being very permissive) will likely already cover it for the eligible, and should the $11 be used in aggregate to cover distribution and manufacturing for all of California's citizens, it would be a reasonable rate to keep the program self-sustaining.
Allotting an exception for the payment for those who may have difficulty seems like a reasonable way to cover any gaps while making sure it never runs into the red.
The funny thing is if memory serves right insulin once you get it going is exceptionally cheap to produce. Unironically the 11 bucks may very well be the gross cost of production and transport per batch, probably not wages though.
Well America voted against food being considered essential for survival...
Of course, but what California is doing is awesome, so why shit all over it?
I'm not. It's a step in the right direction.
that's how it works in most of europe with our socialist healthcare system
Canada too. My son has T1D. Never paid a cent for insulin even through my insurance.
How about exceptions for rich people who can easily afford it at no noticeable impact to their livelihoods?
Validating who earns too much or too little is a colossal task that leaves opportunities for people to lose access to food because they haven't logged in that month to report their earnings.
It also often costs more in bureaucracy, people and infrastructure than simply giving it to everyone.
It also causes social stigma as you are seen as poor for using a service.
If it's available to everyone, then none of these problems occur.
Rich people will typically self-opt out of these systems anyway, as they will want the better expensive version of the thing anyway.
For case studies where this works, see:
For places where the system doesn't work because of income cutoffs, see:
Adding means testing to programs like this generally cost more money than it saves.
No, because that just opens the path for the ever expanding "except for them" for a very small portion of the population.
I like this. Ultimately there shouldn't be any rich people, but that's a step we can figure out later.
Make them pay full price, period.
Broadly speaking I agree but I don't criticize shifting from exploitative to reasonably priced. An improvement is still an improvement.
This I agree with 100%. Why it isn't a standard in the world is totally abhorrent. Anyone with health issues should receive medication for free or at a minimal cost to cover transport, delivery, etc.
Not a viable take though. Housing, clothing, food.. none of them are free either. A more viable solution is to control the markets by setting limits, like they did here, and then provide a safety net for people so they will always be able to buy this stuff. It would be nice if it was free, but it's a long road to get there. Social politics can provide survival without abolishing stuff like money in the meanwhile.
Some people feel like if you can't provide society with your labor, you should still be fed, clothed, and housed.
Price floors and price ceilings reliably cause market failures like shortages and unemployment. If we're not willing to let people die without it, then we end up playing stupid games like "free emergency room only".
Economics is a social science and every proposal should be based on empirical results, not intuition.