by Kristen Hwang and Ana B. Ibarra
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Several health care bills are now on the governor’s desk, aiming to improve access for Californians who can’t afford prescription drugs, shorten delays to medical decisions, and address threats to personal privacy.
This year, California lawmakers backed at least half a dozen bills that would change how consumers access drugs and health care – and set new protections for their medical privacy. Opponents of some of these efforts say more regulations will only make health care more expensive, while advocates say consumers need protection from the federal government and from powerful industry lobbies that drive up costs.
Gov. Gavin Newsom has until Oct. 12 to approve or veto these measures.
Making prescription drugs more affordable
Rising drug costs are one of the leading drivers of increased health spending. Between 2022 and 2023, the most recent year state data is available, spending on prescription drugs increased by nearly 11%. That’s part of why state lawmakers are trying to make prescription drugs cheaper for consumers by limiting out-of-pocket costs and cracking down on companies that control prescription drug benefits.
Newsom vetoed a proposal to cap insulin costs two years ago, pointing to a $100 million state initiative to manufacture low-cost insulin instead. But with that project — named CalRx — yet to produce any insulin, lawmakers returned with a new push to bring immediate relief to diabetes patients.
Reintroduced this year by Sen. Scott Wiener, Senate Bill 40, which passed unanimously in the Senate and Assembly, would cap monthly out-of-pocket spending on insulin at $35. It’s a life-saving drug, but its high cost, which can be hundreds of dollars per month, can lead patients to skip doses and ration medication.
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