Senate Republicans refused to pass a $35 cap on insulin. Remember to vote these douchebags out in the midterms. [WaPo]
A rare (!) sighting of LeAnn Rimes & Eddie Cibrian – they were out and about in LA. I haven’t seen photos of them in a while. [Just Jared]
Senate Democrats passed a massive climate bill! [Jezebel]
Nicola Peltz slams people for making her feel bad…? [Dlisted]
Keanu Reeves in The Devil in the White City? Yes! [LaineyGossip]
Ashley Tisdale loves stocking shelves at Target. [Seriously OMG]
Issa Rae has really upped her style game in the past year. [Go Fug Yourself]
Blind item about a pop star with a temper. [Gawker]
A review of Bodies Bodies Bodies. [Pajiba]
Indiana Republicans banned abortion. [Buzzfeed]
Sister Wives’ Cody Brown cut his hair? [Starcasm]
Um, what’s up with the sinkhole in Chile? [Towleroad]
Addison Rae tried to recreate a famous Angelina Jolie photo, to sad results. [Egotastic]
It seems like “Pro-life” only applies to clumps of cells that can’t vote, not living and breathing kids and adults who get screwed by drug companies every year.
Came here to make the same point. Nothing says “pro life” like endangering the lives of people with a treatable disease.
Thank you all for the insight. That’s absolutely terrifying that anyone is in that situation. I have to take daily medication for epilepsy so can only imagine the cost of that!
Genuine question from a very lucky Scottish person! What happens when someone genuinely can’t afford insulin?
Good question! People who have employer sponsored insurance or some form of ACA insurance will generally have a copay for their medication that’s within a reasonable amount. People who do not have that type of insurance might be eligible for a government sponsored program that pays for their healthcare/prescriptions. The problem with that final option is you have to maintain a very low income status which actually prevents most form of employment or even marriage. But if someone is self employed making a decent income but struggling to afford healthcare? I really don’t know what happens.
Ultimately these policies have two goals: 1. Maximize profits for the pharmaceutical companies who donate tons of $$ to these politicians and 2. Essentially shackle workers to their jobs. If you have a treatable but chronic condition, you really can’t afford to be anything other than a loyal employee.
@Tia Maria Death. Everybody needs insulin to survive. If your body doesn’t produce it (or not in sufficient quantity) and it’s not replaced daily, you’ll die in short amount of days.
There have been a lot of stories of people trying to ration their insulin, which tragic results. It’s incredibly sad.
I have patients that don’t take there meds because they can’t afford them. I normally deal with type 2 diabetics. Doctors will change prescriptions to something their Insurance will cover or we price places like Walmart and Costco for them. But basically “the powers that be” dont care. In the end it cost insurance companies more because the patient ends up in the ER OR HOSPITAL which is more than if they would have just paid for the med
@Barbiem – TiaMaria’s question got me thinking. What is the status of your patients who can’t afford their medication? Do they have insurance but the copays are too high? Are they uninsured but not eligible for Medicaid? I’m by no means an expert on this, so I pulled together my answer above from what I know of our massively fucked health insurance system in this country. I share my life with a non-insulin dependent diabetic, and it is really scary to think of ever being uninsured. His multiple prescriptions help keep him from becoming insulin dependent, and they’re not cheap.
They are “Anti Choice”, not “Pro Life”. As a person with type 1 diabetes, born and raised in a poor European country with free insulin for all, I can’t understand what kind of first world country could leave it’s children and adults die with a treatable disease. Insulin is a human right, the right of at least have a change to live another day (sorry in advance for any mistake, not my first language).
I’m constantly amazed how anyone could vote for these people when they so obviously don’t give a shit about you or your family.
Because they’ll vote for anyone with an R next to their name “to own the libs.” And if the Republicans can’t pick their voters through gerrymandering and other dirty politics, they will inspire and condone acts of stochastic terrorism and insurrection to maintain their power.
I am a big fan of this quote from a pro-choice religious leader about how Republicans and their voters can screech about being “pro-life” but do not actually support policies that help people in need at all stages of life:
“The ‘unborn’ are a convenient group of people to advocate for. They never make demands of you; they are morally uncomplicated, unlike the incarcerated, addicted, or the chronically poor; they don’t resent your condescension or complain that you are not politically correct; unlike widows, they don’t ask you to question patriarchy; unlike orphans, they don’t need money, education, or childcare; unlike immigrants, they don’t bring all that racial, cultural, and religious baggage that you dislike; they allow you to feel good about yourself without any work at creating or maintaining relationships; and when they are born, you can forget about them, because they cease to be unborn. You can love the unborn and advocate for them without substantially challenging your own wealth, power, or privilege, without re-imagining social structures, apologizing, or making reparations to anyone. They are, in short, the perfect people to love if you want to claim you love Jesus, but actually dislike people who breathe. Prisoners? Immigrants? The sick? The poor? Widows? Orphans? All the groups that are specifically mentioned in the Bible? They all get thrown under the bus for the unborn.”
This quote has been saved on my hard drive for some weeks now, ready to bring out every time I encounter a pro- forced-birther. It’s a brilliant indictment of these lazy, hateful beliefs, and every word is true.
Mitch McConnell has long had the face that he deserves.
I think he needs more weeping, open sores for the face he really deserves but I take your point.
He should look like Vecna from the upside down.
Steve Bannon got there first, Mitch got the leftovers.
He would have the face he deserved if it was punched hard
We haven’t gossiped about Eddie and Leann for ages. They’ve gotta be passed that 10 year mark at which we once predicted imminent divorce. Maybe they’re genuinely happy together? Or in any case have a rhythm that works for them?
Ten years already!? Wow,im surprised they havent had any babies by now.( I may have missed stories about any wishes or not they have for parenthood).
IIRC Eddie’s been snipped. It can be reversed but with mixed results.
Is the blind item about Maggie Rogers? Recent stories about her graduating Harvard, and a song on her new album is called Shatter…bummer I like her music a lot, If it’s about her.
Sounds like it was written about her, but who knows if it’s true. I like her music too. I don’t know anything about her as a person, but her music is great.
Mmmm, Keanu news 😀
I really don’t have any interest in anymore murder or violent movies, not even for Keanu.
Exactly how much payola did they get paid to say No to $35 insulin?
Corrupt, much? Vile, dirtbags.
What other possible reason would there be?
Big Pharma owns them.
Some of it is Big Pharma, but I think most of it is the Republicans DO NOT WANT Biden getting a big win. (Ever, but especially right before the midterms.) They assume, probably correctly, that their supporters won’t notice that they killed the bill, but they WOULD notice Biden being able to say: I forced down an everyday drug price that hurts millions of Americans.
Canadian here with a kid with type 1 diabetes. This is a disease that impacts people every day – every piece of food. We have pretty good medical coverage – and still I spend more on my kids food (nuts, cheese, meats) and his CGM & pump than either of his siblings combined. It is an expensive disease to manage under the best of circumstances. It makes me nauseated to think the patent was sold for $1 in order to ensure access…. and here we are. Gross GOP. GROSS.
I really feel for parents whose children have diabetes. It must b such a struggle when kids can’t eat the way their peers do. And yes, even with some coverage, diabetic supplies are expensive. I attended a conference where an advocate for sex workers spoke about a woman she encountered who was working the streets to get diabetic supplies: luckily, they were able to find supports for her.
Another Canadian here whose partner is type 1. Although he has to pay a deductible for his supplies, fortunately the major portion of his expenses is picked up by our medical care — you know, the socialized medical care that is reviled as *communism* by Americans. But Americans are coming to Canada to buy affordable diabetic supplies. Go figure….
Maybe that’s why the R’s voted it down. Fear of (actually) “socialism” is what they term it.
If anyone here has had the misfortune to watch ‘He’s all that’ you know that Addison Rae has no chemistry with either horse or human actors.
Years ago, my dog was on a human grade insulin. This goes back starting about 14 years ago. Over the course of 3 years, Humulin N went from $35 a vial to about $155. I started ordering from Canada I was able to get the same drug, same manufacturer (Lily) for $150 for 3 vials.
Fun fact – In most states, you do not need an Rx for OTC insulin like Humulin N, only for the needles!
I have been waiting for Devil in the white city for way too long. I’m with LaineyGossip. FINALLY. and KR is in it. Cannot wait!!!
That senate vote was 57-43, it was so goddamn close to making one hell of a difference. My state is rock solid blue but cmon swing state voters, you can save lives!
My dad has type 1 diabetes. A $35 cap would have been almost life changing for him since he’s retired and on a fixed income. I think I lost my breath for a minute when I heard it had been removed. The millions of people that were so close to a lifeline and then had it stripped away so callously.
Hawley voted to keep it. Someone on Twitter said Hawley must have a family member with diabetes. It’s hard to imagine that he has feelings of compassion for anyone but it would make sense.
Supposedly in California our governor is going to do the 35$ cap for our state.
KKat, I read some headlines (but not articles) that said Newsome was just going to have California start making it in order to keep costs down?
Wow, okay, California has a large enough fraction of the US’s population that just California doing either a price cap or manufacturing it for sale at a lower cost would have a noticeable effect on the national Insulin market and likely move prices down for the entire US (and dear GOD I hate that ‘Insulin Market’ is an actual THING).
@Owlsyn your correct! That’s what it was we’re going to make our own and sell it at cost.
I couldn’t remember exactly.
I’m so thankful I was born in California, my 2 kids have both medical and a special California kids insurance for chronic illness.
Besides oodles of psych meds my youngest has low testosterone and I have to give him monthly injections.
If I had to pay out of pocket it would be 4000$ a month for that med alone.
I’m a Newsome fan girl
He’s obviously not perfect but I am so thankful for him
RIP Olivia Newton-John. Beautiful voice, beautiful soul.
Sadly, this won’t prevent working-class Americans who have diabetes from voting Republican. I will never understand how people vote against their best interests, and it reminds me of those who rejected the Affordable Care Act because of the link to President Obama’s name.
Anyone who needs this insulin or has relatives that need this insulin but votes to keep them in office are just lost.
There should be a cap.
Pro life my ass. Scummy!
My stepdad is type 1 and this shit makes me so mad on his behalf. He is dirt poor, on SS now that he retired and according to the state of MI makes “too much” money for medicaid backup to his Medicare. It’s awful, Healthcare is so broken…
I spend a lot of time in hospitals with my son and let me tell you…the biggest issue is that hospitals are for profit and the head of hospitals make millions. I asked for Advil one time for myself and was charged $420 for two Advil because it wasn’t related to the patient care. They decide that he doesn’t need leg braces for instance and if he does..it is $10k every time out of pocket. And we have decent insurance through a company that continues to go up.
My husband recently had an mri and the “copay” was $1000 and then insurance denied all the medicine they suggested.
There are deep, deep issues with healthcare that are not a quick fix. I had to get a second job to pay for our premiums and max out of pocket..that we always hit. I have no idea why no President and no Congress (Dem or Rep) deal with the real issues. Spend a day in a hospital ER and you will be enlightened.
I appreciate the insulin change as that helps many people..but the core issue is hospital fees and prescription fees and no one has addressed them in 40 years (that I know about)
There are companies that specialize in dealing with medical insurance & hospitals to negotiate better bills on your behalf, such as that ridiculous $420 for two Advil. You pay them, yes, but they’re providing a valuable service. We shouldn’t have to hire people like this, but still. Help is available, if at a small cost.
Obamacare dealt with a lot of that but then Trump and GOP u Derm inked it and chipped away so insurance could get away with ripping people off again.
It’s so horrible.
We can afford it..thanks fully..but so many others can’t.
These services usually charge 20-25% of the TOTAL bill to help… which isn’t feasible for most people.
A lot of things need to change is what I am saying…not just a few prescription drugs (though insulin in so important to many of my friends).