Nearly $2.2 Billion for Diabetes Research Signed into Law Following Senator Collins’ Advocacy
Washington, D.C.—U.S. Senator Susan Collins, a senior member of the Appropriations Committee and the founder and co-chair of the Senate Diabetes Caucus, announced that the government funding bill that was recently signed into law included $2.2 billion to support diabetes research, an increase of $71.95 million.
“The groundbreaking discoveries made possible by advancements in diabetes research are already improving the lives of the more than 37 million Americans living with diabetes, while charting a path for a better future for the 96 million Americans with prediabetes,” said Senator Collins. “Further investments are essential to continue large-scale trials, plan next steps for research programs, conduct outreach and education, and effectively allocate research resources – all of which play an important role in helping to better treat, prevent, and ultimately cure diabetes.”
The government funding bill also includes $3.3 million for the National Diabetes Prevention Program, an increase of $4 million, and $98.9 million for the Division of Diabetes Translation, an increase of $3 million. Additionally, Senator Collins secured report language encouraging the FDA to work with the Type 1 diabetes community on the assessment of potential diabetes biomarkers related to islet autoimmunity, which might help inform the design of clinical studies. The bill also includes language Senator Collins authored directing HHS, within 120 days of enactment, to provide a report to Congress outlining coverage and payment policies for new technologies for individuals with diabetes, including hybrid-closed loop technologies.
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As the founder and co-chair of the Senate Diabetes Caucus, Senator Collins has long worked to increase awareness of the threats posed by diabetes, invest in research, and improve access to treatment options. In response to a bipartisan effort she led with Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), CMS first approved the use of continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) in January 2017 and allowed Medicare beneficiaries to use smartphone apps in conjunction with continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) in June 2018. In order for Medicare coverage to continue to keep pace with innovation, Senators Collins and Shaheen introduced legislation last November that would create a special task force at the Department of Health and Human Services to examine and address barriers that seniors face in accessing the latest diabetes management technologies.
In 2019, Senators Collins and Shaheen introduced a bill to roll back more than a decade of insulin prices hikes, and today, they unveiled new bipartisan policy priorities as they prepare new legislation that would lower insulin costs for patients. They have consistently pressed to hold insulin manufacturers, insurers, and PBMs accountable for the skyrocketing cost of life-saving insulin. Additionally, Senators Collins and Shaheen introduced a bill to expand access to diabetes self-management training, and they have led the bipartisan push in the Senate to ensure continued support for the Special Diabetes Program.
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