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Diabetes News: Minnesota Caps Diabetes and Other Medicine Prices [1]

['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.']

Date: 2025-01-08

As part of numerous new [MN] state laws taking effect on January 1, 2025, health plans will be required to cap co-pays at $25 per one-month supply of prescription drugs used to treat chronic diseases such as diabetes, asthma, and allergies requiring the use of epinephrine auto-injectors.

New Co-Pay Cap on Life-Saving Medications taking effect in January [in MN]

Good work, Minnesota!

The new law, authored in the Minnesota House by Rep. [Michael] Howard (DFL - Richfield), would also place a $50 cap per month on related medical supplies. ✂️ The listed price of these medications has soared over the past decade, putting incredible stress on Minnesotans. More than 500,000 Minnesotans have been diagnosed with asthma and around 390,000 Minnesotans have either Type 1 or Type 2 Diabetes. The medical supplies covered by the law include syringes, insulin pens and pumps, test strips, glucometers, continuous glucose monitors, epinephrine auto-injectors, and asthma inhalers. Under the law, the cost-sharing limit for related medical supplies will not increase with the number of chronic diseases for which an enrollee is treated, and coverage would not be subject to a deductible.

But not Ozempic and other semaglutides. The MN Legislature has been considering such a measure separately.

Evaluation of HF XXXX – Coverage for the Management and Treatment of Obesity

Report to the Minnesota Legislature Pursuant to Minn. Stat. § 62J.26

2/7/2024 This proposed mandate would require a health carrier to provide health insurance coverage for the management and treatment of obesity. Coverage would encompass evidence-based obesity treatments including but not limited to behavioral, dietary, and physical activity interventions; bariatric surgery; and medication approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat obesity. This proposed mandate would also require Minnesota Medicaid to cover the management and treatment of obesity in the same manner as is required of non-public health plan companies.

This is a proposal that has not been made into a numbered bill, hence the identification as HF XXXX.

I’ll keep an eye out for any further action on this in Minnesota or anywhere else. I could do with such a program myself.

Oct 30, 2024 — A system for collecting and reporting data from drug manufacturers, wholesalers, pharmacy benefit managers, and pharmacies on prescription drug prices.

In the Media

New MN law capping some prescription drug prices goes ... FOX 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul Dec 28, 2024 — It limits insulin, asthma inhalers, and EpiPens to just $25 a month, and medical supplies to $50 month. That includes syringes, insulin pens and ...

A new state law caps the price of specific medications and medical supplies for chronic diseases. x x YouTube Video

Dec 28, 2024 — A new Minnesota law that caps the price of some life-saving prescription drugs goes into effect on Jan. 1, 2025, which could help some families save thousands ... Research State law significantly lowers prescription drug costs for ...

Apr 9, 2024 — New SPH study found that out-of-pocket expenditures for mental health and substance use disorder medications fell by $6.37 per prescription. Asthma

To tackle childhood asthma, they also need to replace diesel engine school buses with electrics.

Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA): Cleaner and quieter electric school buses start to hit the road

Electric school buses are expensive. With chargers, they can cost up to $400,000, or about four times the cost of a new diesel school bus. Timerson says it’s hard for school districts to justify that expense, and as a result, adoption of electric school buses has been slow: The MPCA knows of only 10 electric school buses currently in operation in Minnesota.

Yes, if you only consider the purchase price and not the significantly larger savings on fuel, health, and even lives. I have written about these matters elsewhere, and will take them up again in my next Renewable Friday.

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