Tampa, FL December 21, 2018 – Diabetes Patient Advocacy Coalition (DPAC) and the National Diabetes Volunteer Leadership Council (NDVLC) today released the Access to Lifesaving Medicines Act (ALMA), patient-centered prescription drug cost transparency language that DPAC Champions will advance in state legislatures beginning in January 2019. “Reducing prescription drug costs – especially for lifesaving medicines like insulin – is a national problem. People with diabetes can’t afford to wait for Washington to fix our broken system,” said NDVLC President Larry Smith. “We developed ALMA for states that want to enact meaningful measures to help patients see lower drug costs at the cash register, where it matters most.” ALMA’s model language includes patient-centric measures that are specific to medicines for diabetes and other chronic illnesses, as well as provisions benefiting all consumers by injecting greater transparency into prescription drug coverage and reimbursement systems. “ALMA’s foundation is that patients should always have affordable access to our prescriptions,” said Christel Marchand Aprigliano, CEO of DPAC. “This legislation will provide relief to people who need life-essential medications, and help states better invest healthcare dollars -- by keeping patients healthy through daily management of chronic illnesses like diabetes instead of paying for expensive treatments due to complications from rationing.” “No one should choose between rent and medications and yet this is a common occurrence in many households today,” Aprigliano added. “We need more than convoluted accounting reports to solve this immediate issue. We need action from policymakers. This legislation will help prevent needless deaths, hospitalizations, and complications.” DPAC and NDVLC encourage state legislators and staff to download the ALMA model language at diabetespac.org. Contact DPAC for additional information and to help advance patient-centered transparency legislation. # # #The Diabetes Patient Advocacy Coalition (DPAC) is an alliance of people with diabetes, caregivers, patient advocates, health professionals, health organizations and companies working collaboratively to promote and support public policy initiatives to improve the health of people with diabetes. As a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization, DPAC is dedicated to ensuring affordable, safe and quality diabetes treatments and devices for people with diabetes through actionable advocacy as the trusted patient voice. For more information about DPAC, visit diabetespac.org. The National Diabetes Volunteer Leadership Council (NDVLC) is a 501(c)(3) patient advocacy organization committed to improving the safety and quality of life for children, adults and their families living with diabetes. NDVLC is comprised of individuals who have served in a volunteer leadership position of a national diabetes organization – including board chairs, secretaries and treasurers of the American Diabetes Association. For more information about NDVLC, visit ndvlc.org.
