Fact Check: Examining Biden-Harris Claim on Trump’s Insulin Prices
TL/DR –
The Biden-Harris campaign claimed that former President Donald Trump did not cap insulin prices for seniors during his term and that this was achieved by President Biden through the Inflation Reduction Act. However, the Trump administration did introduce a voluntary program to cap insulin costs for Medicare beneficiaries through Medicare Part D, and Trump signed an executive order that affected federally qualified health centers, but this was rescinded by the Biden administration. Additionally, the implementation of Trump’s $35 cap under the Senior Savings Model Demonstration took effect in 2021, and Biden later capped the price of insulin for seniors at $35 per month with his Inflation Reduction Act, signed into law in 2022.
In Biden-Harris HQ Tweet Dispute Over Insulin Price Capping Resurfaces
A June 3 post by the Biden-Harris campaign on X, asserted that 2024 Republican presumptive nominee, ex-president Donald Trump, failed to cap insulin prices for seniors during his term. The claim is considered unsubstantiated.
The Trump administration did advocate for a cap on insulin costs for Medicare beneficiaries through Medicare Part D, though the plan was optional. Trump also signed a July 2020 executive order applicable to federally qualified health centers (FQHCs). This executive order was finalized but later revoked by the Biden administration.
Trump countered Biden’s claim on a June 8 TRUTH Social post, asserting Biden had no role in reducing insulin prices, as reported by The Hill.
In the video featured in the June 3 X post, Fox News journalists discussed how Trump signed an executive order to cap the insulin price for Medicare recipients at $35 monthly, as per the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
Trump aimed to lower insulin costs for seniors through Medicare Part D and Medicare Advantage plans with prescription drug coverage, according to 2020 press releases from the CMS and the HHS. This voluntary initiative enacted on January 1, 2021, provided Medicare beneficiaries access to insulin at $35 monthly.
Theo Merkel, a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute, clarified that the $35 cap was separate from the executive order relating to insulin access for FQHCs.
After the executive order was rescinded, Biden capped the insulin price at $35 monthly for seniors through his Inflation Reduction Act, which was signed into law in August 2022.
Health policy analyst at the Center for American Progress, Nicole Rapfogel, emphasized the differences between Trump’s executive order and Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act.
Meanwhile, Michael Cannon, director of health policy studies at the Cato Institute, criticized both presidents’ plans as poor ideas. Similarly, Dr. Richard Frank, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, reinforced that Trump’s executive order only applied to FQHCs.
Despite their different approaches, both Trump and Biden “deserve some credit,” according to Dr. Nancy Nielsen, senior associate dean for health policy at the University at Buffalo’s Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) also created a pathway for biosimilar insulins during Trump’s tenure as president. This piece will be updated accordingly if further comments are received.
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