A Resonant Topic in Georgia’s Senate Runoff: Insulin Prices - New York Times
How big is the problem? How many people in Georgia have diabetes? How many have health insurance? Why did Republicans block the insulin price cap passed by Democrats? How does that hurt Georgians? How important is Georgia Senate runoff to capping insulin prices?
People are smart, but some politicians distract them from what really matters with trivial issues. How do you present the facts and how it impacts their lives in a clear, easy to understand manner so they can make an informed choice on who to vote for? We created this map with ArcGIS Online that shows the number of diabetics in every Georgia county and how many do not have health insurance. We summarized the key points in a scrolling display and added links to more details. The map can be read on a phone or laptop and freely sharable with this link.
Georgia diabetics suffer from Big Pharma price gouging
Affordable Insulin Now Act
As the cost of insulin continues to soar, Reverend Warnock introduced a bill to cap out-of-pocket insulin costs at $35 a month so Georgians can afford the life-saving medications they depend on. The bill passed the House of Representatives with bipartisan support. Warnock’s work on lowering the cost of insulin struck a chord for one Georgia mom. Barbara Peters of Marietta, whose daughter has diabetes, published a letter to the editor in the Marietta Daily Journal articulating how Reverend Warnock’s Affordable Insulin Now Act would help families like hers who struggle with the cost of insulin.
Big Pharma drug price gouging
"My family struggled to adjust to the new life that came with my daughter’s unexpected diagnosis. We soon learned that diabetes brings not just personal struggles, but financial hardships. In 1996, a vial of Eli Lilly insulin cost $21. Today, that same vial costs $275. Diabetics today pay an average of $6,000 each year for insulin, placing a heavy burden on families like mine. Senator Warnock’s bill in the Senate will cap the price of insulin at $35 a month, making insulin affordable for the over 1 million Georgians with diabetes. Nobody should have to choose between buying groceries for their family and paying for life-saving medication. His legislation would give families like mine much-needed relief." - Barbara Peters
Keep it simple stupid (KISS)
We took five key points and created a scrolling GIF that was embedded in the map. The purpose of this was to attract the readers attention to the message, and also squeeze more words into a small space. We used the free BigStage Teleprompter app to create the GIF which can also be shared independent of the map.
Warnock focused on lowering insulin prices
Mr. Warnock has focused on lowering insulin prices since arriving in the Senate nearly two years ago, motivated in part by hundreds of letters that have poured into his office, pleading with him to do something. He has also described seeing the ravaging impacts of diabetes, including losing limbs and eyesight, on congregants at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, where he is the senior pastor.
Earlier this year, he introduced legislation that would require both Medicare and private insurers to cap out-of-pocket costs for insulin at $35 a month. The average out-of-pocket cost per prescription reached $54 in 2020, according to an analysis by the Kaiser Family Foundation, which also found that many patients pay significantly more for diabetes care. - NY Times
Take Away: Keep it simple. Use data visualization to help voters make informed decisions on who to vote for. Reverend Warnock!
Deepak
DemLabs
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