Gov. Tim Walz renewed his party’s push to pass Alec’s Bill, a bill introduced in the past legislative session, passed by the Democratic House but not the Republican Senate, to provide asssistance to diabetics who can’t afford the high cost of the insulin they need to stay alive.

The bill is named after Alec Smith, a 26-year-old man who died after trying to ration his insulin when he couldn’t afford the $1,300 a month cost when he aged out of his parent’s health insurance.

Democrats and Republicans remain split on what to do about this situation. Democrats want the pharmaceutical companies, who have driven up the cost of insulin over the past ten years, to pay fees to create an emergency insulin fund so diabetics in need can get an emergency supply. Republicans are determined that the Big Pharma companies should not have to pay fees, but could provide free insulin supplies to be given to people who can’t afford it.

It is frustrating that this issue is a political battlefield instead of a path to bipartisan action that would help save lives and restore hope to those dealing with diabetes.

We strongly urge Democrats and Republicans alike to drop their insistence that their position is the one and only correct one, and come to an agreement on this vital issue.