P.O.

Box 10841
Eugene, Oregon 97440
p/f: 541.257.8878
info@t1df.org
www.t1df.org

March 26, 2018

Rep. Dylan Roberts

200 E Colfax
RM 307
Denver, CO 80203

by email to: dylan.roberts.house@state.co.us

kerry.donovan.senate@state.co.us

RE: Request for information regarding CO HB18-1009

Dear Rep. Roberts,

I write to you as president of the Type 1 Diabetes Defense Foundation. Oregon-based T1DF is a
501(c)(3) nonprofit and the sole U.S. legal advocacy organization dedicated to advancing equal
rights and opportunities for Americans with type 1 and other forms of insulin dependent diabetes.
We have played an active role in the national discussion on insulin and other diabetes drug
pricing and cost-sharing; we have written extensively on these topics, including in a detailed
report on cost-sharing we sent to members of the U.S. Senate H.E.L.P. Committee in December
2017 (please see https://www.t1df.org/news/2017/12/15/t1df-letter-to-us-senate-cost-sharing-
crisis, and our website more generally). We are nonpartisan, and we accept no industry funding.

We have seen the online copy of the bill as introduced and the associated Fiscal Note. We’ve also
seen the Health, Insurance, & Environment Committee report and the “Pre-Amended” version of
the bill available here: https://leg.colorado.gov/sites/default/files/documents/2018A/bills/
2018a_1009hie_01.pdf

It’s our understanding that the bill is now passing to the Committee on Appropriations,
presumably to be addressed at its upcoming March 27 meeting.

T1DF is preparing to take a public position on the "Diabetes Drug Pricing Transparency Act
2018” (HB18-1009). Before we do so, we’d like to be certain we have full information regarding
the content and intention of the bill.

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 • Is there any more recent version of the bill we should be aware of?

• Are there any outstanding amendments that have not yet been incorporated into the
Pre-Amended version cited above?

• Do you have any memoranda or other explanatory notes you would like to share with us
regarding the intent and purpose of the bill and its recent amendments or, more
broadly, your goals for this legislation?

We note in particular that extensive amendments, including amendments regarding insurers, were
introduced in committee. These amendments are broadly parallel to the content of HB 4005
recently passed in Oregon, itself a modified version of California’s SB 17. We have discussed the
many flaws of Oregon’s HB 4005 here: http://registerguard.com/rg/opinion/36518187-78/drug-
transparency-bill-ignores-role-of-insurers.html.csp

In the interest of transparency—which is, of course, the purpose of HB18-1009—we would like to
know more about the origin of these last-minute amendments.

• Who proposed these amendments?

• Were these amendments made at the request of any particular group or individual?

Thank you in advance for your assistance in this matter. T1DF is available to answer any questions
you may have for us regarding pricing and cost-sharing for diabetes drugs or other issues that
affect the people we represent.

Regards,

Julia Boss
President
Type 1 Diabetes Defense Foundation

cc: Senator Kerry Donovan

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