The financial burden is most acute for households earning between $75,000 and $99,000 annually, where 55 percent of insulin users report monthly expenditures exceeding $150. Even among those making $50,000 to $75,000, 44 percent face similar costs. These expenses are driving broader lifestyle sacrifices, with one-third of survey respondents reporting they have reduced grocery budgets to cover healthcare, while nearly a quarter have delayed or skipped medical appointments entirely.

While Medicare and 29 states have capped cost-sharing, those enrolled in private or employer-sponsored health plans often pay upwards of $400 monthly. A bipartisan push led by Senators Jeanne Shaheen, Susan Collins, Raphael Warnock, and John Kennedy seeks to address this via the INSULIN Act of 2026, which would standardize the $35 monthly cap for the private market. ADA Chief Advocacy Officer Lisa Murdock warned that half of insulin-dependent patients are currently rationing their supply, underscoring the urgency for legislative intervention.