Nearly one million Ohioans have been diagnosed with diabetes, but the cost of insulin continues to be a barrier for people needing the medication.

Policy Matters Ohio Budget, Health and Child Care Researcher Kathryn Poe said the cost of insulin can reach hundreds of dollars - but with insurance the range is on average $50 to $80, not including the cost of supplies.

Poe said the increasing cost of the medication, especially over the past decade, has been driven by the three pharmaceutical companies that control the market: Eli Lilly, Novo Nordisk and Sanofi.

"We have a situation where only three companies are able to control basically the global supply of insulin," said Poe. "And in the United States, where there aren't proper checks and balances to regulate these companies, that means that there are unaffordable costs."

Researchers from Yale University found that among people who use insulin, nearly 1.2 million were financially burdened by their health-care spending over the course of a year.

A bipartisan bill filed earlier this year by state House lawmakers would cap out-of-pocket costs for insulin.

Poe says if passed, Ohio would follow other states that have passed insulin-affordability legislation that caps the cost of copays at around $35 for people with insurance.

"The one that's currently introduced in the Legislature, HB 384, actually caps the cost of supplies as well," said Poe, "which is really, really important."

While the Inflation Reduction Act capped out-of-pocket insulin costs for Medicare beneficiaries, Poe points out that more than 70% of adults nationwide who reported rationing insulin don't qualify.

It's estimated one in five adults younger than 65 limit their use of the medication because of cost.

"The high cost of the actual drug combined with the high cost of supplies has really made this crisis something that definitely kills people," said Poe. "People have lost their lives over this crisis."

But she added that for those with prescriptions who can afford it, they do have access to an emergency supply if they can't get to a doctor in time to refill.

In 2022, Gov. Mike DeWine signed a bill into law that allows patients to receive up to three emergency refills of life-saving medication within a year without a prescription.

Failing to dispense the drug could result in harm to their health.

This story was produced in association with Media in the Public Interest and funded in part by the George Gund Foundation.




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The Texas Department of Criminal Justice is facing a class action lawsuit calling for the agency to add central air conditioning to all its prisons.

Only 30% of the prisons in Texas have central air, and advocates say the sweltering summer heat is inhumane and impacts the physical and emotional health of people who are incarcerated. Four organizations, including the Lioness Justice Impacted Women's Alliance, are plaintiffs in the lawsuit.

Marci Marie Simmons, community outreach coordinator with the Alliance, said during her 10 years at the Dr. Lane Murray Unitin Gatesville, she was concerned about her health and the health of other women.

"I remember worrying about the insides of my body, like, 'What is this heat doing to my organs?' I watched older women have a really hard time in the summer. I watched women fall out with heat-induced seizures, " she explained.

The Texas House of Representatives has passed a bill that would require all Texas prisons have air conditioning by 2029, but the prison system only has to comply if the state provides the funding.

Over the last 10 years, 13 heat-related deaths have been documented in men's prisons in Texas. According to TDCJ policy, when the heat index is above 90 degrees, additional water, ice and cups are provided to people in prison, who also can wear shorts and t-shirts. In certain cases, they can receive permission to go into one of the designated air-conditioned spaces.

Simmons said about 90,000 people behind bars across the state don't have access to cool air.

"The lawsuit is asking for the same regulations that are on jails, which is to keep the temperatures between 65 degrees and 85 degrees. Currently about 30% of beds have climate control," she continued.

The Lone Star State is one of at least 13 in the country where all facilities are not air conditioned. Texas experienced the 2nd hottest summer on record last year and climate experts predict this year will be just as bad or worse.


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The message of the importance of heart health has arrived at construction sites. On Thursday, the American Heart Association is hosting its annual event, Hard Hats with Heart, in Seattle.

Americans are at high risk for cardiovascular diseases, and construction workers have high rates of some of the contributing factors, such as nearly half not getting enough exercise.

Mark Howell, senior vice president of Skanska U.S.A. Building and chairman of Puget Sound Hard Hats with Heart, said the American Heart Association hosts "Toolbox Talks" at job sites to raise awareness about heart health.

"We've had several workers find out they're diabetic and they didn't even know it, and the only way they found out was by going into the blood pressure challenge and ended up deciding to make a doctor's appointment and discovered they had diabetes," he said. "So, just bring that awareness into the industry so people can take care of underlying issues to improve their heart health."

Hard Hats with Heart takes place at The Shop in Seattle's Georgetown neighborhood on Thursday.

Howell added the event highlights cardiovascular risks specific to the industry and ensures people on job sites understand how to be prepared in case of an emergency, such as having hands-only CPR training.

"It's an evening where we celebrate the progress we've made, the number of lives that we've impacted with the message about proper heart health, and it's also an opportunity to hear from some construction workers who have personally been impacted by cardiovascular disease and have been able to maybe make some corrections in their lives as a result of that awareness," he explained.

More than 340,000 construction workers have been diagnosed with cardiovascular disease, according to the American Heart Association.

Experts are traveling across the Commonwealth to help community professionals better understand and advocate for policies that help Kentuckians needing assistance with health care, housing, food, transportation, child care, suicide prevention and other resources. Thrive Roadshow workshops are free and available to the public.

Emily Beauregard, executive director of Kentucky Voices for Health, said attendees will receive updates on policy changes and funding for programs that impact folks in their communities.

"Our focus with the roadshow is to make sure community professionals who are interacting with folks on a daily basis really have the resources and skills that they need to advocate for the policies and programs that are right for their communities," she explained.

More information on Thrive Roadshow events happening in Frankfort, Pikeville, Williamsburg, Murray and elsewhere is online at ThrivingCommunities2024.

Tiffany Taul-Scruggs, patient service outreach manager with Mount Sterling Healthcare, said her team of Community Health Workers relied on the Thrive program to better understand the Medicaid Renewal process, so they could improve serving their patient population.

"One of the things that I really found useful is that they are a group that I can depend on, or if I need to call them to talk about things, they really do a lot of prep work behind the scenes, " she explained.

According to the healthcare advocacy group KFF, more than 1.6 million million people in Kentucky are covered by Medicaid. More than half of the Commonwealth's Medicaid spending is for people who are elderly or those with disabilities.