Earlier this month, JDRF participated in the Weekend of Action, a drumbeat across the United States where House Democrats focused on actions to improve health care for American families and address the drastic increases in prescription drugs, like insulin. Representative Huffman (CA-02) held a round-table discussion on June 14, with health care advocates, medical professionals, and type 1 diabetes (T1D) patients, on how the rising cost of prescription drugs impacts the North Coast.  This was on the heels of the House of Representatives passing five bills to lower prescription drug prices for Medicare. Congresswoman Jackie Speier (CA-14) Congressman Mike Thompson (CA-05) and Speaker Pelosi (CA-12) met with with health care advocates and constituents  – sharing their stories and concerns about insurance coverage with preexisting conditions, and the staggering increases in costs of prescription drugs, like insulin, which have quadrupled since 2010. Speaker Nancy Pelosi spoke about protecting Americans by eliminating lifetime limits on insurance and continuing to allow young adults to stay on their parents insurance until age 26.

Representing the T1D  community at Rep. Huffman’s Round-table were Sarah Kurtzig and her daughter Jamie Kutzig, and in San Francisco, Cheyanne Faulkner, Morgan Faulkner, Elena Lipkins, Advocacy Team Chair for JDRF Bay Area, and Samantha Lipkins, JDRF Youth Advocate.

“Speaking as a constituent from CA-District 12 for Speaker Pelosi about the importance of the Affordable Care Act and decreasing insulin pricing was one of our proudest moments. We know we were speaking on behalf of millions of people with diabetes and did not take that responsibility lightly.” – Cheyanne Faulkner (diagnosed at age 11) /Morgan Faulkner (diagnosed at age 22)

“I am a JDRF advocate and I’ve met with Speaker Pelosi, Congresswoman Speier and Congressman Thompson at JDRF Promise to Remember Me meetings. At these meetings, we share our stories about what it’s like living with Type 1 diabetes. I didn’t know what to expect about attending the Press Conference. I’ve heard a lot about the high costs prescription drugs, like insulin, on the news and especially from my mom. But being at this event and hearing the Representatives of Congress fight for the rights for people like us made me feel really good.” – Samantha Lipkins, age 17 (diagnosed at age 10)