Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Knoxville) is asking U.S. Attorney General William Barr and the Department of Justice to investigate the increasing prices of insulin across the nation.
Burchett said he's concerned over the rapidly rising prices despite the cost of production remaining steady -- saying it's morally questionable and potentially illegal price fixing.
“Millions of Americans rely on this life-saving drug. In fact, my home state of Tennessee has one of the highest rates of people living with diabetes in the country. Increasing insulin prices at the rates we’ve seen and without regard to the cost of production is unethical and possibly illegal,” Burchett wrote in the letter.
Burchett said the higher prices are putting families in a place where they have to make tough and sometimes dangerous choices, like rationing their insulin.
"You know people say 'Burchett, you are a free market guy,' and you're doggone right i'm a free market guy, and this isn't free market. If it's not a monopoly, it's something close to it," he said.
According to a study from the American Diabetes Association, the price of insulin has nearly tripled since 2002.
Pharmaceutical companies are facing several class action lawsuits tied to insulin pricing.