California Launches State-Branded Insulin

Published 14 hours ago·Updated 11 hours ago

story

Above: California Governor Gavin Newsom announced $11 insulin and prescription drugs with the CalRX program inside a Cedars-Sinai pharmacy in Los Angeles, Calif., on Oct. 17, 2025. Image copyright: Patrick T. Fallon/AFP/Getty Images

The Spin

Right narrative

Private sector solutions like Civica RX and Mark Cuban's Cost Plus Drug Company already offer insulin at $30 per vial, proving market-based approaches work better than government intervention. California's $100 million insulin program represents wasteful spending by a state that can't even upgrade its own computer systems effectively.

Reason Foundation

Left narrative

California's $55 insulin program will slash costs by up to 90% for uninsured patients who currently pay over $500 monthly, directly saving lives from dangerous rationing. State intervention becomes essential when market failures leave 200,000 uninsured Californians choosing between insulin and basic necessities like housing.

CalMatters

Gavin Newsom on X