John,

Last week, the House took a historic step in lowering prescription drug prices when we passed legislation that would cap the cost of insulin at $35 per month. I was proud to help pass this crucial bill because this is a fight that's personal to me.

When I was sixteen years old, I was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. Like the other 1.6 million people in this country with Type 1 diabetes, I depend upon insulin to stay alive.

However, over the last 20 years, the price of insulin has skyrocketed – jumping from $40 a vial to upwards of $300. There is absolutely nothing to justify this price hike. This is Big Pharma greed, plain and simple.

I'm one of the lucky ones. I have insurance that helps pay the cost of my insulin. But throughout my career as a pediatrician, I've seen families struggle to afford the medications they relied on. So they'd ration their medication, cut pills in half, or skip taking them altogether. And when that medicine is insulin, taking just enough to stay alive but not enough to stay healthy is a dangerous – sometimes deadly – tightrope to walk.

No one should have to choose between putting food on the table and paying for the medication they need. That's why I've been fighting in Congress to lower the cost of prescription drugs.

I'm working to keep pharmaceutical companies from raising prices faster than the rate of inflation, bring cheaper generic drugs to market sooner, and give Medicare the power to negotiate better prices for all of us.

This bill to cap the cost of insulin is a step in the right direction, but we have a lot more work to do, and I'll continue fighting until everyone can afford the life-saving medication they need.

If you're with me in the fight to lower prescription drug costs, add your name to stand with me now >>