Rep. Tom Reed (R-Corning)

WASHINGTON – Congressman Tom Reed (R-Corning, NY 23) says a large number of lawmakers in Washington are throwing their support behind an effort to increase funding for an ongoing federal diabetes research and education program.

Diabetes has been a long-time focus for Reed, who is a recovering Type 2 diabetic and whose son has also been diagnosed as a Type 1 diabetic. The area congressman serves along side Colorado Democrat Diana DeGette as the co-chairs of the Congressional Diabetes Caucus. On Tuesday, Reed said they are introducing bipartisan legislation to continue funding what is known as the Special Diabetes Program for an additional five years, and increase its annual funding from $150 million to $200 million a year.

“Much of this $200 million a year goes to programs that obviously address the needs of Type 1 and Type 2 diabetics overall, but in particular there is a sub component of the Special Diabetes Program specifically designated for Native Americans, which provides funding to Indian Health Services to take on the issue of Type 2 diabetes in our Native American populations across America,” Reed said.

Reed said that 378 members of the House have signed on in support of the increased funding and a letter of support has been sent to both Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy and Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

Meanwhile, the cost of insulin for diabetic Americans continues to be on the rise, forcing some to make tough decisions on how to pay for insulin while also trying to make ends meet.

WRFA asked Reed if Congress is working on addressing the ongoing issue of expensive insulin, and he said that some work is underway to reign in the expensive cost of insulin and other prescription drugs.

“On the other side of the diabetes caucus, over the last year-and-a-half to two years, we have taken specific actions to highlight the cost of insulin and the ever increasing cost of insulin. If you look at the drug-pricing debate that is taking place on the hill right now in regards to biologic patent reforms, you will see that insulin is the cornerstone of that debate of overall drug prices in America,” Reed noted.

Reed also said that if anyone in the district is having difficulty getting insulin to treat diabetes, they can reach out to his office and he will help them out through a current program being offered by insulin manufacturers.

“If anyone out there is in need of insulin, [my office] will put them in contact with these manufacturers directly so they can deliver to some of them – at insulin costs no greater than $20, $25 of a supply that they need. That type of behavioral change is something  I support and applaud and want to raise awareness of so we can do that instead of always looking toward a legislative tool. This is immediate. This is in existence today,” Reed said.

Congressman Tom Reed’s local office number in Jamestown is (716) 708-6369.

National headlines have recently taken on the issue of rising insulin costs, with some stories focusing on Americans having to go to Canada in order to get affordable insulin. Meanwhile, the attorney General of Kentucky announced this week his office will sue the nation’s three largest insulin providers due to the expensive costs.

Congressman Tom Reed met with healthcare officials and local diabetics during a visit to Jamestown on Jan. 24, 2018.

JAMESTOWN – Congressman Tom Reed (R-Corning, NY 23) was in Jamestown Wednesday at UPMC Chautauqua WCA’s Diabetes Education Center to a hold roundtable discussion on diabetes.

Reed joined healthcare professionals from WCA, the county, and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, as well as local individuals and families who’ve been impacted by both type 1 and type 2 diabetes.

Reed said he was able to gain some valuable insight as a result of the discussion.

“Obviously being the parent of a Type 1 diabetic. Walking this walk with these folks, it’s just always invigorating to stand here, see these families and individuals fighting diabetes. It reminds me every day of why we chair the diabetes caucus and why we fight for a cure, for treatment, and for access to treatment to help these folks and keep moving in the right direction,” Reed told WRFA following the meeting.

Among the issues that was discussed was the status of the federal Special Diabetes Program, which provides millions of dollars in research for the National Institute of Health.  Reed also addressed the recent spike in insulin prices, saying Congress has been looking – and will continue to look – into the matter.

“Obviously a lot of our healthcare dollars at the federal level come out of our Medicare and Medicaid programs. How these prices are set is deep within the bureaucracy and marketplace that is out there, that is not really subject to the transparency, in my opinion, that it needs to be…. raising the questions has caused the insulin prices to go back in the right direction, and that is down,” Reed said.

As part of the conversation, the issue of working to better educate the public about the causes of Type 2 diabetes and working to steer more people away from diets high in sugar was also brought up.

The appearance was part of Reed’s effort to provide an update on the work he is doing in Washington to focus on diabetes, such as the Special Diabetes Program, new insulin device coverage, and insulin cost control.

Reed is the co-chair of the house Diabetes Caucus and has a son diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes.

Incoming Chautauqua County Congressman Tom Reed – who is vice chair of the Congressional Diabetes Caucus – is reminding residents it is important that we not limit our focus of diabetes to the month of November, but make a commitment to raise awareness of this ever-growing disease each month of the year. Reed has a Teenage son who has diabetes.

Nearly 26 million Americans have diabetes and an additional 79 million have prediabetes and are at risk for developing type 2 diabetes. The primary risk factors for type 2 diabetes include being overweight, sedentary, over the age of 45 and having a family history of diabetes. The symptoms of diabetes can include frequent urination, unusual thirst, extreme hunger, unusual weight loss, extreme fatigue and irritability, frequent infections, blurred vision, tingling or numbness in the hands or feet, and recurring skin, gum or bladder infections.

For more information on diabetes, and ways to get involved during National Diabetes Month, please visit the American Diabetes Association at http://www.diabetes.org.