California working to produce and distribute affordable insulin, how that affects diabetic patients throughout the desert

California is setting aside $100 million in its state budget in efforts to support diabetic patients throughout the state.

The newly approved budget outlines a plan to produce and distribute affordable insulin.

You can read the entire state budget here.

Coachella Valley resident, Melinda Reads has been living with diabetes for years now.

Reads says, "Attitude is everything. I believe that's why I'm doing as well as I am, having had type one diabetes for 61 years and I take four injections a day.” 

And she isn't alone. Senior research and evaluation associate, Chris Morin with Health Assessment and Research for Communities tells me just how many people in the Coachella Valley share the same diagnosis.

Morin says the HARC's 2019 report shows that over 41,000 have been diagnosed with diabetes. That number accounts for both Type 1 and Type 2 patients.

He also shared that more than 12,000 adults have been diagnosed with borderline or pre-diabetes.

California lawmakers are now looking to help diabetic patients all throughout the state.

The state's newly approved budget is allocating $100 million to develop and manufacture its own insulin. It's all in an effort to make insulin more available and affordable.

Diabetes patients like Read appreciate the effort, but have some questions, "I understand what the state of California is trying to do to make it more affordable because it is astronomical if you don't have insurance. But I I'm not sure that it's going to work for everybody. And that's my concern."

Read wants to know more about the manufacturing process, and if more than one type of insulin will be produced.

She shares that insulin is not one size fits all, and says there are several types of insulin available to the public.

Also included in the state budget, is a newly approved rebate program based on income. You can read more on the program here.