Governor Kathy Hochul on Monday signed new legislation that will eliminate co-pays, coinsurance and deductibles for asthma inhalers, making the life-saving medication more accessible to the 1.4 million adults living with asthma across New York. The law requires state-regulated health plans to cover at least one rescue inhaler and one maintenance inhaler at no cost to patients.
Asthma medication can run as high as $640 per month, putting pressure on families already struggling with healthcare expenses. Officials say removing cost barriers will help ensure that New Yorkers never have to choose between paying bills and accessing medication that could save their lives.
“No one should have to choose between paying their bills or refilling a prescription for an inhaler that could save their life,” Hochul said in a statement.
The legislation mandates full insurance coverage for asthma treatment and removes all cost-sharing for at least one inhaler of each type. Nearly two million New Yorkers, including an estimated 315,000 children, are living with asthma, according to the state Department of Health. Asthma remains one of the nation’s leading causes of death, claiming around 10 lives every day.
State leaders and health advocates celebrated the bill as a major step toward health equity, particularly for communities facing disproportionate asthma rates, such as those living in areas dubbed “Asthma Alley," including Mott Haven in the Bronx.
Asthma also places a heavy strain on the healthcare system. Each year, it accounts for more than 1.7 million emergency room visits and over $50 billion in medical costs nationwide.
