Insulin and Other Prescription Drug Copay Caps: Helpful Solution or Playing Right Into the Hands of the Pharmaceutical Industry?

Public support for lower drug prices is overwhelming. More than 90% of voters consistently report wanting to see the government negotiate lower drug prices at the federal level, and similar levels of support exist for action at the state level.

For voters, this is a pocketbook issue, and that fact leaves many state lawmakers looking for solutions that affect the out-of-pocket costs for prescription drugs.

Although controlling out-of-pocket costs is very helpful for some patients, this brief explores the weaknesses of implementing standalone out-of-pocket caps at the state level. It also lays out recommendations for addressing prescription drug affordability more broadly.