Senate Passes Agreement on Insulin Assistance Program, 4th COVID Response Bill

On Tuesday, April 14, the Senate sent the Governor two major bills, one creating the Alec Smith Insulin Affordability Act, and another measure enacting several of Governor Tim Walz's executive orders in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Among the policy changes, the Covid-19 bill extends the mediation period by two months for farmers, adds $1.25 million dollars to the appropriation to Second Harvest Heartland to purchase agricultural products, provides medical assistance coverage for the uninsured to diagnose COVID-19, and upholds the validity of wills executed during the peacetime emergency if any mistakes are deemed harmless.

The Senate also passed the House-Senate agreement on a insulin assistance program, referred to as The Alec Smith Insulin Affordability Act, which creates a safety-net program for Minnesotans with diabetes. Under the proposal, a Minnesota resident with less than a seven-day supply of insulin could obtain an emergency 30-day supply from a pharmacy for $35 dollars. The encounter with the pharmacy triggers interactions with either the insulin manufacturer or state programs to ensure the individual has an ongoing supply of insulin. .