KQED's Forum CalRx to Offer Cheap Insulin, and Other Prescription Drugs Could Be Next
Nov 11, 2025
April Dembosky, health correspondent at KQED News, discusses California's innovative CalRx insulin program that promises $11 insulin pens. Chris Noble, a type 1 diabetes patient and advocate, shares his personal struggles with insulin costs. Dr. Mariana Socal from Johns Hopkins analyzes the implications of this move on drug pricing and policy. They explore how CalRx cuts out middlemen, could disrupt pharmaceutical markets, and aims to make essential medications more accessible, potentially transforming healthcare affordability.
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CalRx Cuts Insulin Prices Dramatically
- CalRx will sell a five-pack of insulin pens for $55, about half or less of common market prices.
- April Dembosky says this offers both direct savings and potential health improvements by reducing rationing and financial strain.
How PBMs Obscure Drug Pricing
- Pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) act as opaque middlemen who negotiate discounts and may not pass savings to patients.
- April Dembosky highlights that secrecy in rebate deals obscures who keeps the discounts and drives higher patient costs.
Long-Term Debt From Insulin Costs
- Noelle, a 35-year type 1 diabetes survivor, said she still carries medical debt from paying about $400 a month for insulin.
- She invoked the original insulin discoverer and criticized profiteering from a life-saving drug.