This brief delves into the alarming rise of life-saving drug prices in the U.S., particularly focusing on insulin and Epi-Pens, and explores the role of insurance companies and manufacturers in this hike. It highlights the limitations of state regulations in controlling these escalating costs and advocates for federal intervention to prevent profit-driven pricing of essential medications.

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REFERENCES

[1] “Commercial Insurance Regulation.” Insurance Information Institute,
15 Nov. 2018,
www.iii.org/publications/commercial-insurance/how-it-functions/regulation.
[2] Dalpiaz, Elaine. “Fact Sheet: The High Cost of Prescription Drugs &
the Impact on Children - First Focus on Children.” First Focus on
Children - Making Children and Families the Priority, 3 Aug. 2022,
firstfocus.org/resources/fact-sheet/fact-sheet-the-high-cost-of-prescription-drugs-the-impact-on-children.
[3] “Drugmaker Eli Lilly Caps the Cost of Insulin at $35 a Month, Bringing
Relief for Millions.” NBCNews.Com, 1 Mar. 2023,
www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/eli-lilly-caps-cost-insulin-35-month-rcna72713.
[4] “Federal Insurance Office.” U.S. Department of the Treasury, 12 Dec.
2019,
home.treasury.gov/policy-issues/financial-markets-financial-institutions-and-fiscal-service/federal-insurance-office.
[5] “EpiPen Rationing Introduced Again.” The Pharmaceutical Journal, 12
Feb. 2021,
pharmaceutical-journal.com/article/news/epipen-rationing-introduced-again.

[6] Locklear, Mallory. “Insulin Is an Extreme Financial Burden for over
14% of Americans Who Use It.” Yale News, 5 July 2022,
news.yale.edu/2022/07/05/insulin-extreme-financial-burden-over-14-americans-who-use-it
[7] Mulcahy, Andrew W, and Harry H Liu. “The Astronomical Price of
Insulin Hurts American Families.” RAND Corporation, 6 Jan. 2021,
www.rand.org/blog/rand-review/2021/01/the-astronomical-price-of-insulin-hurts-american-families.html.
[8] “National Diabetes Statistics Report 2020.” Center For Disease Control
and Prevention, 2020,
www.cdc.gov/diabetes/pdfs/data/statistics/national-diabetes-statistics-report.pdf.
[9] “Prescription Drug Statistics 2023.” The Checkup, 4 Feb. 2023,
www.singlecare.com/blog/news/prescription-drug-statistics/.

[10] “State Insurance Regulation - NAIC.” NAIC.Org, 2011,
content.naic.org/sites/default/files/inline-files/topics_white_paper_hist_ins_reg.pdf.
[11] “Summary of the Affordable Care Act.” KFF, 17 Dec. 2018,
www.kff.org/health-reform/fact-sheet/summary-of-the-affordable-care-act/.
[12] “Understanding the Affordable Care Act.” American Medical
Association, 2023,
www.ama-assn.org/delivering-care/patient-support-advocacy/understanding-affordable-care-act.

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