[ST. PAUL, MN] – Governor Tim Walz proclaimed today “Diabetes Day” in Minnesota and renewed his call for the legislature to reach a deal to improve access to affordable insulin.

“Today’s proclamation recognizes the more than 300,000 Minnesotans currently living with diabetes—and the constant struggle they face to afford the insulin they need to survive,” Governor Walz said. “But just recognizing the problem isn’t enough. Minnesotans are dying. I am encouraged that the House and Senate have been meeting to work out their differences but I hope this proclamation serves as a call to action for legislators. Please remember these are real Minnesotans who need relief and they need to get a deal to my desk as soon as possible.”

Governor Walz will call a special session as soon as the House and Senate agree on a solution to address the skyrocketing cost of insulin. He was recently joined by young Minnesotans with diabetes in calling on Senate Republicans to come to the table to negotiate a deal. Following his call, a bipartisan group of legislators began meeting to discuss a joint proposal. They set a 30-day deadline for themselves, which ends this coming Monday. Walz had also previously called on legislative leaders to hold a public conference committee to settle differences between their bills.

The text of the Governor’s proclamation is below.

WHEREAS: Diabetes is a chronic disease in which an individual’s body no longer produces or does not effectively use insulin, a hormone critical to processing glucose; and

WHEREAS: In 2017, the Minnesota Department of Health estimated that around 330,000 Minnesotan adults (or 7.8%) had been diagnosed with either Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes, with around 18,000 new cases being diagnosed each year; and

WHEREAS: High blood glucose from diabetes can lead to diabetic ketoacidosis, a serious complication that can end in death, as well as damage to blood vessels and the nerves controlling the heart, leading to adults with diabetes being nearly twice as likely to die from heart disease or stroke as adults without; and

WHEREAS: Those diagnosed with type 1 diabetes are dependent on an uninterrupted supply of insulin, along with blood glucose monitoring, to manage the disease; and

WHEREAS: The cost of insulin has tripled over the last decade, and many people with type 1 diabetes struggle to afford insulin, blood glucose strips, and basic health care, putting their health and lives at risk; and

WHEREAS: November is National Diabetes Month, and Thursday, November 14, 2019, is World Diabetes Day, marking a time to bring awareness to diabetes and the challenges faced by the diabetes community to access the care they need.