HELENA â Quinn Leighton was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at the age of 3.Â
Type 1 diabetes is a genetic disease that causes the pancreas to not produce enough insulin, which means people with the disease need to inject insulin to stay alive.Â
Because of the condition, Leighton became an activist. They became the leader of T1 Internationalâs Montana Chapter after finding that the Montana chapter didnât have a leader.
âI donât really know a life without diabetes,â Leighton said. âItâs pretty much all I know. And so Iâve just been able to talk about my own experiences.even before I took on that role.â
Lawmakers have rejected a fourth bill aiming to enhance access to insulin.
On Wednesday, the House Health and Human Services Committee tabled The Montana Insulin Safety Net Program Act on a 10-9 vote, which would have established a program to get insulin to people who need it most.
Under the act, people with diabetes would have been eligible for a free bottle of insulin from the state once per year if they have an insurance co-pay of more than $75, were not on Medicaid and had seven or fewer days worth of insulin left.
Proponents at the hearing said the bill was a way to keep people from rationing their insulin between paychecks. Quinn Leighton, who was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at age three, spoke in support of the bill on behalf of T1 International, an organization that supports laws to reduce insulin prices.