A Lifetime of Advocacy and Resilience

Bob Parant has been living with type 1 diabetes for over 52 years. Diagnosed at 19 during what he calls the “dark ages” of diabetes care, Bob’s journey has been one of perseverance, adaptation, and advocacy. At the time, diabetes management was rudimentary—urine testing provided little insight into actual blood sugar levels, and treatment relied on a strict diet and a single daily insulin injection.

Over the decades, Bob witnessed and embraced revolutionary changes in diabetes care, from the introduction of glucometers and insulin pumps to continuous glucose monitors (CGMs). The rise of social media also created new opportunities for diabetics to connect and support one another. Bob became deeply involved in advocacy, using his experiences to educate and empower others. His commitment to this cause intensified after he lost his leg in 2010 due to complications from diabetes. What started as a simple blister on his toe led to a severe infection, resulting in a below-the-knee amputation. This life-changing event drove him to work with organizations like the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) to support diabetics facing similar challenges.
Bob also turned his focus to the high cost of insulin and prescription medications. With a career in insurance and pharmaceutical sales, he understood the impact of pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) on drug pricing.

Transitioning to Medicare, he was shocked by the exorbitant costs and bureaucratic barriers seniors and chronically ill patients faced in accessing life-saving medications. His advocacy work gained national recognition, and in 2022, he was honored to introduce President Joe Biden when the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) was announced, capping insulin costs for Medicare recipients at $35 per month. He emphasized that this was not a partisan issue but a human one, as Americans were paying disproportionately high prices for medications, saying, “It has nothing to do with party, because this problem is for both sides of the spectrum. Whether you’re on the right or the left, you need pharmaceuticals. And people that I speak to, regardless of the right or the left, all believe that the cost of drugs in this country is absolutely a crime, because we pay four times more than any other country in the world for the same drug.”

The IRA also included a $2,000 out-of-pocket cap for Medicare patients, a critical step toward making prescription drugs more affordable. Bob has continued to fight for broader reforms, highlighting the struggles of seniors who cannot afford essential medications, such as Entresto, a heart failure drug he himself is on with a price tag of $600–$700 per 90-day supply. He advocates for Medicare’s ability to continue to negotiate drug prices, a move he believes is essential to addressing the crisis of unaffordable medications.

Today, Bob continues to be a voice for the diabetes community, advocating for affordable health care, patient education, and systemic reforms in drug pricing. He believes more education is needed—not just about managing chronic illness, but also about understanding insurance plans, deductibles, and co-pays. He also stresses the importance of preventive care, including diet, exercise, and early screening for diabetes. His work is far from over, and as health care policies evolve, he remains steadfast in his mission to ensure all diabetics and patients with chronic illnesses receive the care they need and deserve.