St. Paul, Minn.-- Today, the Minnesota House of Representatives approved the Alec Smith Insulin Affordability Act, an emergency insulin program accessible to the Minnesotans who need it most. The landmark legislation is named after Alec Smith, who lost his life because he could not afford his insulin. The legislation ensures that Minnesotans have access to affordable insulin if they face an emergency, with insulin manufacturers participating in the solution.
Representative Ginny Klevorn (DFL- Plymouth) voted in support of the legislation and released the following statement:
“The House initiated a strong plan that takes the best ideas from previous proposals and meets the goals of ensuring Minnesotans have emergency access to insulin and access to affordable insulin over the long-term. I’m grateful we found a bipartisan compromise with the Senate. This is what good government looks like; when lawmakers of vastly different ideologies can come together to do the right thing to help people in need.”
The Alec Smith Insulin Affordability Act will ensure that Minnesotans who cannot afford their insulin and are facing an emergency need can access a 30-day supply at their pharmacy for a co-pay of $35. Eligible Minnesotans include those who are uninsured, under-insured, receiving Medicare and do not have access to low co-pays. The legislation also streamlines the process by which Minnesotans can access affordable insulin in the long-term. Insulin manufacturers would participate in the program and could be fined up to $3.6 million a year, doubling in the second year, for non-compliance.
A copy of the legislation can be found here, and a video recording of the House floor session can be found on the House Public Information YouTube page. The legislation is expected to be passed by the Minnesota Senate and signed by Governor Walz.
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Representative Ginny Klevorn proudly represents the city of Plymouth. She encourages her constituents to share input and ideas with her at the Capitol anytime at 651-296-5511 or at rep.ginny.klevorn@house.mn. She invites her constituents to ‘like’ or ‘follow’ her official Facebook Page at: www.facebook.com/RepKlevorn/.