When Minnesota passed a law this spring to make insulin more affordable for its residents, advocates in other states like 黑料吃瓜网 saw it as a victory.
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鈥淔or a lot of people in 黑料吃瓜网, we were looking towards this bill as a way to say, we need a similar way forward,鈥� said Kristen Whitney Daniels, chapter leader of 黑料吃瓜网 #Insulin4All. 鈥淚t has the potential to help so many diabetics who are uninsured, people who have lost their insurance, which is incredibly important during this pandemic, people who are underinsured.鈥�
The took effect July 1 but is now facing a lawsuit from a pharmaceutical trade organization. Local lawmakers and advocates are considering what this means for 黑料吃瓜网鈥檚 efforts to pass similar legislation to limit the costs of insulin, which have doubled in recent years.
鈥淚t鈥檚 horrible that this lawsuit is going through,鈥� Daniels said. 鈥淏ut we hope that this will bring awareness that the insulin manufacturers are not on the patients鈥� side.鈥�
The Minnesota law is named after Alec Smith, who depended on insulin medication. But after aging out of his parents鈥� insurance coverage at 26 years old, Smith began dangerously rationing insulin that he could no longer afford.
He died in 2017. His parents, Nicole Smith-Holt and James Holt Jr., have spearheaded legislative efforts.
Daniels, who has Type 1 diabetes and , said this is an all-too-common story among people managing this lifelong chronic disease.
One in four patients with Type 1 or 2 diabetes has reported using less insulin due to high costs, according to in the Journal of American Medical Association by Yale researchers.
鈥淪ometimes when I see stories like this, it reminds me again how close my story could have become the Smith-Holt family鈥檚 story,鈥� Daniels said. 鈥淭hat legacy would have been left with my mom.鈥�
The Minnesota law requires drugmakers to provide an emergency 30-day supply of insulin to patients at little to no cost. It also set up an income-based program for people who struggle affording diabetes management.
Pharmaceutical companies are required to participate under threat of fines. The trade group that 鈥渂ecause the act takes private property for public use without paying just compensation, it is unconstitutional.鈥�
黑料吃瓜网 lawmakers and advocates that would cap insulin at $50 for a month鈥檚 supply and expand access to emergency refills.
The bill didn鈥檛 get a vote in the General Assembly during the regular legislative session due to the pandemic, but Rep. Sean Scanlon wants it included in an upcoming special session this month.
鈥淚t has unfortunately become so astronomically expensive for people in 黑料吃瓜网 that they鈥檙e really hurting,鈥� he said. 鈥淎nd especially when you combine what just happened with coronavirus, with the economic crisis that鈥檚 happened 鈥� we just can鈥檛 afford to wait to do this bill much longer.鈥�
Sen. Matt Lesser, another sponsor of the bill, said he鈥檚 confident the state could pass a law to cap insulin co-pays this year -- the piece of legislation had bipartisan support coming out of the state Insurance and Real Estate committee.
He said Minnesota鈥檚 experience could serve as a model on how to get that done, as well as provide guidance on how to handle any pushback from drug manufacturers on policies that get at insulin pricing.
鈥淲e鈥檙e happy to partner with [manufacturers] if they鈥檙e willing to address these affordability issues in 黑料吃瓜网, but if they stand in the way, we鈥檙e prepared to stand up to them,鈥� Lesser said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 more important than any company鈥檚 bottom line.鈥�
