Minnesota Senate Republicans today (Thurs) rolled out their plan to help Minnesotans struggling with the high cost of insulin, but significant differences remain with Democrats. Senator Eric Pratt argues Republicans’ plan minimizes government involvement because drug makers would provide free insulin to qualifying patients through their doctor. “If we can do a direct-to-consumer approach through a distribution channel that already exists, then why would we want to re-create a whole new bureaucracy for a short-term program?” he says.
Democratic Representative Michael Howard responds Republicans would have MNsure set up a new website to determine patient eligibility. “I would say that, on its face, their proposal seems to be a more government-centric program than even the House bill,” Howard says.
House Democrats’ bill would charge drug makers a fee and the state would run the assistance program.