Assemblyman Giblin: NJ Bill Would Help Patients Pay For Insulin

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — UPDATE: An earlier news release from Assemblyman Thomas Giblin's office erroneously stated that A-4155 applies to people with health insurance. It only applies to those without insurance. Our updated article follows below.

There are thousands of New Jersey residents with diabetes who struggle to pay for their medication because they don't have insurance. But a proposed law from Assemblyman Thomas Giblin would help them find the funds to buy their insulin.

On Wednesday, Assemblyman Thomas Giblin, who represents the state’s 34th District (Clifton, East Orange, Montclair, Orange), introduced A-4155, which now heads to the Assembly Financial Institutions and Insurance Committee.

Read the bill’s full text.

If the bill becomes law, eligible individuals with a “financial inability” to purchase their insulin would get assistance acquiring their medicine, according to Giblin.

The New Jersey Department of Human Services would provide full reimbursement to participating pharmacies for prescription insulin products and related supplies on behalf of people approved for the assistance program, Giblin said.

The ongoing coronavirus crisis has put a spotlight on the ongoing struggle that many diabetes patients face, the assemblyman added.

For example, a recent report estimated that one in four Americans are unable to afford their insulin medication, which is key to treating and managing diabetes, Giblin said.

“This pandemic has highlighted a number of vulnerabilities in our state, including the susceptibility of certain populations to severe health outcomes," Giblin said. "Nearly 45 percent of New Jersey residents who lost their lives due to COVID-19 also had an underlying condition of Diabetes Mellitus. This disease has put far too many of our residents at risk of dangerous complications - yet their chances might have been improved if their diabetes was well-managed.”

“Not only will COVID-19 continue to affect our state for the foreseeable future, but this outbreak has taught us the importance of preparing for the possibility of additional pandemics," Giblin stated. "By ensuring our residents have access to the medications they need to maintain good health, we can better prepare our entire state to face additional public health crises going forward."

Send local news tips and correction requests to eric.kiefer@patch.com

Learn more about posting announcements or events to your local Patch site. Sign up for Patch email newsletters.