• U.S. Rep Salud Carbajal (D-Santa Barbara) voted to cap the out-of-pocket cost of insulin at $35 per month for those on Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurance, the Congressman announced on March 31. The legislation advanced by the U.S. House of Representatives ensures vital and affordable access to medication for more than 37 million people in the United States who have diabetes, including one-third of Medicare beneficiaries and more than 7 million Americans who rely on insulin to maintain their health and well-being. “I’ve heard heartbreaking stories from Californians who have cut back on their insulin doses or skipped doses entirely because the costs have risen to unacceptable rates,” Carbajal said in a statement. “I’m committed to lowering costs for American families through legislation like this, and I urge my Senate colleagues to advance this measure to deliver these critical savings to the Central Coast.” The Affordable Insulin Now Act requires Medicare Part D plans and commercial health insurance plans to cover insulin and cap cost-sharing at no more than $35 per month. Next year will mark 100 years since the discovery of insulin; despite its history, the price tripled from 2002 to 2013 and doubled again in 2012 to 2016, according to Carbajal’s office.
• Amid a rise in racist attacks targeting the Asian American and Pacific Islander communities, Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration—in partnership with the Commission on Asian and Pacific Islander American Affairs and the California Asian and Pacific Islander Legislative Caucus—announced the distribution of $14 million in grant funds to qualified organizations to provide direct services and support to victims of hate incidents and provide prevention measures, according to a March 31 statement. The California Department of Social Services will fund five lead organizations and will work with 76 additional organizations throughout the state to provide services. The Central Coast, South Bay, and Bay Area received more than $4.1 million, which will provide direct services for victims of hate incidents including legal services, case management, mental health services, and community healing. The funding was approved as a part of the California Comeback Plan, which included $166.5 million to combating bias-motivated attacks. “This is a critical investment that will go a long way towards uplifting our communities and fighting hate and violence around the state,” Newsom said in the statement. “We aim to help victims of violence, but also prevent violence in the future. History shows we need to do better, and this helps us get there.”
• U.S. Sens. Alex Padilla (D-California) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Massachusetts) recently co-wrote a letter to the Biden administration to extend the pause on federally held student loan payments until at least the end of the year, and to provide meaningful student debt cancellation, according to Padilla’s office. “Given the fast-approaching deadline for borrowers to resume payments, your administration must act as quickly as possible to extend the pause and make clear to the American public your intention to cancel a meaningful amount of student debt. We look forward to supporting your administration in getting it done,” the letter stated. In California, more than 45 percent of students graduate with student debt, and the average debt is more than $21,000, according to a study by the Institute for College Access and Success. The payment pause during the pandemic saved borrowers about $393 per month—bringing several residents relief from financial pressure after job loss or decreased earnings—according to Padilla’s office. Most borrowers are not financially prepared to add more bills as costs like food and gas continue to increase. “Canceling student debt is one of the most powerful ways to address racial and economic equity issues. The student loan system mirrors many of the inequalities that plague American society and widens the racial wealth gap,” the letter continued. “Student debt cancellation must be one of the key actions in your comprehensive approach to advance equity as our nation works to rebuild a stronger and more equitable economy.”
This article appears in Apr 7-14, 2022.