In a recent development, former President Donald Trump criticized President Joe Biden’s claims of lowering insulin costs for seniors with diabetes. Trump alleged that Biden was wrongfully taking credit for his own achievements in this regard. Trump took to social media to express his discontent, stating, “Low INSULIN PRICING was gotten for millions of Americans by me, and the Trump Administration, not by Crooked Joe Biden.”
However, Trump’s claims were found to be false. While Trump did implement a $35-per-month cap on insulin costs for some seniors through a voluntary program during his administration, Biden went a step further. Biden ensured that all 3.4 million-plus insulin users on Medicare benefited from the $35-per-month cap through a mandatory policy.
Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 made it compulsory for all prescription drug plans in Medicare Part D to provide insulin at $35 per month for every user. This policy surpassed Trump’s initiative in scope and effectiveness. Despite this, Trump’s campaign spokesperson asserted that Biden’s policy was weaker without providing further clarification.
Biden’s policy extends the $35 cap to cover insulin obtained through Medicare Part B, provides coverage for all insulin products, and eliminates insulin payments for patients at the catastrophic level of drug spending. In contrast, Trump’s policy only applied to select insulin products and did not eliminate payments at the catastrophic level.
Looking ahead, Biden aims to expand the $35 cap to Americans with private health insurance, although a previous proposal for this extension faced resistance in the Senate. On the other hand, Trump’s stance on future insulin policy remains uncertain as his campaign did not respond to inquiries from CNN.
In conclusion, while both Biden and Trump have made efforts to address insulin costs for seniors with diabetes, Biden’s comprehensive policy has proven to be more effective and inclusive than Trump’s initial program.
