HF485 Summary - "The Alec Smith Emergency Insulin Act"

• Establishes an insulin assistance program administered by the Commissioner of Human Services, effective July 1, 2020, to pay participating pharmacies for insulin dispensed to eligible individuals with valid prescriptions.

• Creates eligibility requirements for the insulin assistance program: Minnesota residents not eligible for Medicare, medical assistance, or MinnesotaCare; family income at or below 400% of federal poverty guidelines; and uninsured or underinsured individuals with out-of-pocket limits of $5,000 or greater.

• Requires insulin manufacturers to pay annual registration fees to the Board of Pharmacy beginning June 1, 2020, with fees calculated based on the manufacturer's percentage of total insulin units reported and assessed to cover the previous fiscal year's insulin assistance program costs.

• Establishes the insulin assistance account in the special revenue fund to receive registration fees collected from manufacturers, with funds appropriated to the Commissioner of Human Services for fiscal year 2021 and beyond to support the insulin assistance program.

• Requires manufacturers and wholesalers to report insulin sales and distributions to the Board of Pharmacy annually, and mandates the Board of Pharmacy to publish a website with information about pharmaceutical assistance programs, government health programs, and other resources for lower-cost prescription drugs.