Change could affect community members

Sophomore Maria Koepke, a Type 1 diabetic, said the price of insulin led a friend of hers to turn to Koepke’s family for support.

“My family actually had to step in to help her pay for it and that was a very difficult time for us,” Koepke said. 

Winkler, who’s son has diabetes, said legislation will likely help relieve the families of diabetics, especially when it comes to the expenses associated with treating diabetes. 

“We don’t have a problem paying for his insulin, but my own personal feeling is that I would like a bill like this put into law so that other families can have the security of knowing that insulin will be available for people with diabetes, regardless of whether they have insurance or not,” Winkler said.

Anderson said he believes the current situation will only get worse without government intervention.

“I think there would be problems where more and more people would not actually be even able to pay for their insulin and would start having health problems because of that,” Anderson said.

Winkler said it is essential that insulin prices are lowered for student diabetics as without change, they eventually will have to fend for themselves against the staggeringly high prices.

“You go to school with classmates with Type 1 diabetes and as you graduate from high school and are in your 20’s, even if you have insurance and you have diabetes, eventually you need to leave your parents insurance,” Winkler said. “So, for anyone with diabetes or who gets it, this is a basic lifesaving security measure.”