I 

117TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 2179 

To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to eliminate cost-sharing 

with respect to coverage of insulin as a covered part D drug and associated medical supplies and to provide mail order access to insulin and 

such supplies under the Medicare program during the COVID–19 emergency period. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MARCH 23, 2021 

Ms. WATERS (for herself, Mr. GRIJALVA, Mr. MCGOVERN, Ms. NORTON, Ms. 

CHU, Ms. BARRAGA ́N, Mr. BISHOP of Georgia, Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN, 

Mr. CARSON, Mr. COHEN, Ms. MCCOLLUM, Mr. MORELLE, Ms. JACKSON

LEE, Ms. GARCIA of Texas, Mr. KHANNA, Ms. PRESSLEY, Mr. HASTINGS, Mrs. HAYES, Mr. MEEKS, Mr. SAN NICOLAS, Mr. PAYNE, Ms. 

TLAIB, Ms. ADAMS, Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi, Ms. LEE of California, Mr. SUOZZI, Ms. SEWELL, Mr. BROWN, Ms. BASS, Mrs. LAWRENCE, Mr. WELCH, Mr. TORRES of New York, Mr. DEFAZIO, Ms. 

UNDERWOOD, and Mr. KILDEE) introduced the following bill; which was 

referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to 

the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions 

as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

A BILL 

To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to eliminate 

cost-sharing with respect to coverage of insulin as a 

covered part D drug and associated medical supplies 

and to provide mail order access to insulin and such 

supplies under the Medicare program during the 

COVID–19 emergency period. 


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1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Affordable Insulin for 

5 the COVID–19 Emergency Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. ELIMINATING COST-SHARING WITH RESPECT TO 

7 COVERAGE OF INSULIN AS A COVERED PART 

8 D DRUG AND ASSOCIATED MEDICAL SUP9 PLIES UNDER THE MEDICARE PROGRAM 

10 DURING THE COVID–19 EMERGENCY PERIOD. 

11 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 1860D–2 of the Social 

12 Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395w–102) is amended— 

13 (1) in subsection (b)— 

14 (A) in paragraph (1)(A), by striking ‘‘The 

15 coverage’’ and inserting ‘‘Subject to paragraph 

16 (8), the coverage’’; 

17 (B) in paragraph (2)— 

18 (i) in subparagraph (A), by inserting 

19 after ‘‘Subject to subparagraphs (C) and 

20 (D)’’ the following: ‘‘and paragraph (8)’’; 

21 (ii) in subparagraph (C)(i), by strik22 ing ‘‘paragraph (4)’’ and inserting ‘‘para23 graphs (4) and (8)’’; and 


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1 (iii) in subparagraph (D)(i), by strik2 ing ‘‘paragraph (4)’’ and inserting ‘‘para3 graphs (4) and (8)’’; 

4 (C) in paragraph (4)(A)(i), by striking 

5 ‘‘The coverage’’ and inserting ‘‘Subject to para6 graph (8), the coverage’’; and 

7 (D) by adding at the end the following new 

8 paragraph: 

9 ‘‘(8) ELIMINATION OF COST-SHARING FOR IN10 SULIN AND ASSOCIATED MEDICAL SUPPLIES DURING

11 THE COVID–19 EMERGENCY PERIOD.—The coverage 

12 does not impose any deductible, copayment, coinsur13 ance, or other cost-sharing for insulin (as described 

14 in subparagraph (B) of subsection (e)(1)) or medical 

15 supplies associated with the injection of insulin (as 

16 described in such subparagraph) during the emer17 gency period described in section 1135(g)(1)(B).’’; 

18 and 

19 (2) in subsection (c), by adding at the end the 

20 following new paragraph: 

21 ‘‘(4) SAME ELIMINATION OF COST-SHARING FOR

22 CERTAIN COVERED PART D DRUGS DURING THE

23 COVID–19 EMERGENCY PERIOD.—The coverage is in 

24 accordance with subsection (b)(8).’’. 


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1 (b) ELIMINATION OF COST-SHARING FOR INSULIN

2 AND CERTAIN ASSOCIATED MEDICAL SUPPLIES FUR3 NISHED TO PART D ELIGIBLE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE

4 SUBSIDY ELIGIBLE INDIVIDUALS.—Section 1860D–14(a) 

5 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395w–114(a)) is 

6 amended— 

7 (1) in paragraph (1)— 

8 (A) in subparagraph (D)— 

9 (i) in clause (ii), by striking ‘‘In the 

10 case of’’ and inserting ‘‘Subject to sub11 paragraph (F), in the case of’’; and 

12 (ii) in clause (iii), by striking ‘‘In the 

13 case of’’ and inserting ‘‘Subject to sub14 paragraph (F), in the case of’’; and 

15 (B) by adding at the end the following new 

16 subparagraph: 

17 ‘‘(F) ELIMINATION OF COST-SHARING FOR

18 CERTAIN COVERED PART D DRUGS DURING THE

19 COVID–19 EMERGENCY PERIOD.—Coverage that 

20 is in accordance with section 1860D–2(b)(8).’’; 

21 and 

22 (2) in paragraph (2)— 

23 (A) in subparagraph (D), by striking ‘‘The 

24 substitution’’ and inserting ‘‘Subject to sub25 paragraph (F), the substitution’’; 


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1 (B) in subparagraph (E), by inserting 

2 after ‘‘Subject to’’ the following: ‘‘subparagraph 

3 (F) and’’; and 

4 (C) by adding at the end the following new 

5 subparagraph: 

6 ‘‘(F) ELIMINATION OF COST-SHARING FOR

7 CERTAIN COVERED PART D DRUGS DURING THE

8 COVID–19 EMERGENCY PERIOD.—Coverage that 

9 is in accordance with section 1860D–2(b)(8).’’. 

10 SEC. 3. MAIL ORDER ACCESS OF INSULIN AND ASSOCIATED 

11 MEDICAL SUPPLIES UNDER THE MEDICARE 

12 PROGRAM DURING THE COVID–19 EMER13 GENCY PERIOD. 

14 Section 1860D–4(b)(4)(A) of the Social Security Act 

15 (42 U.S.C. 1395w–104(b)(4)(A)) is amended— 

16 (1) by striking ‘‘subject to subparagraph (B)’’ 

17 and inserting ‘‘subject to subparagraphs (B) and 

18 (C)’’; and 

19 (2) by adding at the end the following new sub20 paragraph: 

21 ‘‘(C) MAIL ORDER.—A prescription drug 

22 plan or MA–PD plan shall permit such part D 

23 eligible individual enrolled in such plan to ob24 tain such fill or refill of insulin (as described in 

25 subparagraph (B) of section 1860D–2(e)(1)) or 


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1 medical supplies associated with the injection of 

2 insulin (as described in such subparagraph), at 

3 the option of such individual, by mail order to 

4 the home of such individual.’’. 

Æ 


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