Today, the Minnesota Senate passed legislation to assist people with diabetes with the high cost of insulin through a new safety net program for emergencies and a long-term assistance program. 

“Minnesotans shouldn’t lose their lives because they can’t afford the lifesaving medications they need,” said Senator Rich Draheim (R-Madison Lake).  “Over the past two years, we have implemented solutions regarding insulin, pharmaceuticals, and other lifesaving drugs to ensure Minnesotans have access to their medications. Today, we made a further commitment to protect Minnesotans facing emergencies to ensure they can get access to the insulin they need at a price they can afford.”

The bill requires insulin manufacturers to provide a 30-day supply of insulin for free to individuals in urgent need but struggling to afford the lifesaving drug. Additionally, patient assistance programs through drug companies, which have been questioned as too difficult and cumbersome with limited qualifications, must be made accessible and transparent with their application and approval process. The new law creates standard criteria for these assistance programs, and stipulates an application must be approved or denied within ten days. 

In 2019, Senate Republicans instituted reforms to address the cost and emergency needs of insulin and other lifesaving drugs. Pharmacies are already required to provide a 30-day supply of insulin and other lifesaving medications if a prescription runs out. Legislation in 2019 also prevents health plans from charging patients more than the wholesale cost of insulin to prevent profiteering off the drug and requires Pharmacy Benefit Managers to regularly communicate discounts and rebates with the pharmacy for the patient to use first. 

The Senate is leading the fight to reduce the costs of health care and prescription drugs with innovation. In 2017, Minnesotans had limited options, fewer providers, and double-digit cost increases in the health insurance market. The Minnesota reinsurance plan stabilized the costs, opened up more options, especially for rural communities, and has become a model program for other states. In 2020, the Senate began exploring reimportation programs that would allow Minnesotans access to lower-cost drugs available in other nations. The federal government, for the first time ever, announced an openness to approving reimportation plans in individual states last December.