MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – A Republican lawmaker has come under criticism for promoting a cheaper form of insulin, while legislators debate whether and how Minnesota should help diabetics with the high cost of newer insulin products.
Rep. Jeremy Munson, of Lake Crystal, posted a Facebook video showing him walking into a WalMart and buying a vial of the cheaper, older form of insulin for $24.88. He then tells the camera that diabetics shouldn’t need to ration their insulin because there are affordable options.
Democrats and diabetes advocates quickly criticized his advice as dangerous, warning that the two types of insulin can’t be used the same way.
The Star Tribune reports the debate over the video comes as Republicans and Democrats hold hearings on competing proposals for providing insulin to diabetics who can’t afford it.