Policy Memorandum: Combatting the Rise of Insulin Prices
Context
As an intern for Senator Blumenthal’s Office, I was asked to compose a policy memorandum on any political issue I deemed interesting. I had spent most of the semester engaging in research and projects for the office’s transportation/energy portfolio, so I was excited for the chance to explore outside issues. Healthcare piqued my interest after I wrote a hearing-based memo regarding the impact of COVID-19 on disabled Americans. After two weeks of exploratory research, I decided the topic of my policy memo would focus on the increasing prices of insulin. My grandmother has type 2 diabetes, but she cannot afford the monthly cost of insulin in addition to her other medications. Her story is uplifting in the diabetic community, as all type 1 diabetics must find ways to pay for their insulin or gamble with the risks of rationing. My policy memo was addressed to Senator Blumenthal, and it was my responsibility to argue the physical, emotional, and financial benefits of proposing and/or supporting legislation to reduce insulin prices.
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Rhetorical Strategies
A standard policy memorandum often follows rigid genre conventions: an introduction to the problem and the necessary solution(s) to solving it, the problem (divided into two or three subsets), the solution(s), and why a Senator should be inclined to support the issue. I first presented the negative ramifications of insulin prices and insulin rationing through three current statistics. I intended to have a fact-based introduction that would state the problem, then devote a few sentences explaining how a redesign of Medicare Part D would lead to $35.00 monthly price caps. With that being said, this introduction includes a combination of pathos and logos. Ethos is omitted because this memo only reflects preliminary research about insulin price trends and ramifications, but perhaps I can continue this research and establish my own credibility. Pathos and logos are reflected in the statistics I selected, as they remind the Senator of ongoing diabetic financial distress and frequent deaths. His swift legislative action could be the push needed to finally incite change.
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The second and third sections of the policy memo represent the two subsets of the problem: understanding how insulin works in the body and the financial hardships from purchasing it. “Understanding Insulin” provides an overview of how insulin functions in the body, as well as the difference between type 1 and type 2 diabetics. I also discussed the most common types of insulin therapy and the methods to inject it into the body. These sections were grounded in scientific research, which was necessary for arguing why a life-saving medication should be significantly lower in cost. I also knew that my audience, Senator Blumenthal, is a member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. He could bring this issue to the attention of the committee and provide more current data to reflect the increasing demand for lower prices. “Financial Hardships From Purchasing Insulin” introduces statistics to reflect how often an average type 1 diabetic should be taking their insulin (including the type and method of injection), and the trends in insulin prices from recent years. This section includes a direct transition from the rhetorical strategy of logos, via the statistics, to pathos by arguing the physical and financial ramifications if diabetics ration or stop purchasing their insulin. These devices could also support the strategy of cause and effect, which is an effective method of describing how the problem can have detrimental effects if no one takes action.
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Reflection
The final section of the policy memo, “Medicare Part D Redesign,” can be tied into the overall success of the text. I believe that I provided a feasible solution for a Part D redesign, as it would allow Medicare to directly negotiate the prices of prescription drugs with the drug manufacturers and begin capping insulin costs at $35.00 a month. In fact, this solution came to fruition in August 2022 with the passing of the Inflation Reduction Act. However, I unintentionally omitted a section that would firmly show Senator Blumenthal why he should support the issue. The need for lower insulin prices is argued throughout the memo, but I needed to bring together my main arguments as one final call-to-action. This omission allows my policy memo to negatively deviate from the standard genre conventions, but there is value in including a text with obvious room for improvement.