Free insulin is now arriving at clinics across Minnesota, thanks to a settlement Attorney General Keith Ellison negotiated with Eli Lilly. The agreement ensures that all Minnesotans, regardless of insurance status, can purchase Eli Lilly’s insulin products for $35 per month for the next five years. Additionally, the settlement requires Eli Lilly to provide free insulin sufficient to meet the needs of up to 15 Minnesota clinics. Six more clinics are yet to be selected for this program.
The settlement resolves a 2018 lawsuit filed by the Attorney General’s Office concerning the prices Minnesotans pay for insulin, a critical drug used to treat diabetes. On July 23, 2024, Attorney General Ellison reached a similar settlement with Sanofi guaranteeing $35 per month insulin.
In collaboration with Direct Relief, a nonprofit humanitarian organization focused on improving lives in poverty or emergency situations, nine Minnesota clinics have signed up for free insulin donations. Free insulin began arriving in Minnesota this week. This initiative targets low-income Minnesotans; eligibility criteria are determined by the participating clinics and relevant charitable organizations.
“If you need insulin to survive, you should be able to get that insulin. Period,” Attorney General Ellison stated. “I am pleased and grateful that Minnesota clinics and Direct Relief have stepped up to coordinate distribution of this life-saving medication to people who might not otherwise be able to pay for it. I will continue to do everything in my power to help Minnesotans afford their lives, and that includes affording the medicine that keeps them alive.”
Attorney General Ellison added: “There are still opportunities for six more clinics to receive free Eli Lilly insulin for their patients. If you’re a clinic already doing the hard work of making sure people are healthy in your community, talk to us; let’s work together to expand free insulin access to Minnesotans across the state.”
Clinics interested in participating in the free insulin distribution should contact the Attorney General’s Office at insulin@ag.state.mn.us.
The Office has also launched a website, www.MNInsulin35.com, designed to help consumers navigate options opened by these settlements, including both $35/month options from Eli Lilly and Sanofi as well as free insulin options guaranteed by these agreements.
Consumers with complaints about their insulin can contact the Attorney General’s Office online or by phone at (651) 296-3353 or (800) 657-3787 (Minnesota Relay: (800) 627-3529).