New York bill on free asthma inhalers advances to governor

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEXSTAR) — A bill passed by New York lawmakers on June 12 would eliminate out-of-pocket costs for asthma inhalers if signed by Governor Kathy Hochul. Designed to make life-saving medicine affordable, the legislation would make insurers cover two inhalers without deductibles, copayments, or coinsurance.

If signed, S1804A/A128A would take effect on Jan. 1, 2027, joining other states like Minnesota, Washington, and New Jersey in capping prices on asthma inhalers. Almost all health insurance plans in the state would have to provide that coverage.

The coverage would apply to one rescue inhaler—for quick relief from sudden asthma symptoms—and one maintenance inhaler for daily control and prevention. They'd have to be prescribed by a physician or other licensed health care provider to apply.

Assemblymember Jessica González-Rojas sponsored the bill in the Assembly and represents "Asthma Alley" in Astoria, Queens, an area experiencing very high rates of asthma-related illnesses and hospitalizations, especially among non-white New Yorkers. She said the bill's passage represented "a powerful step forward in easing the burden for countless families and hardworking New Yorkers living with asthma—or caring for loved ones who suffer from asthma."

González-Rojas pointed out that poor air quality, often caused by industrial pollution, leads to asthma, and these polluting sites often sit near low-income communities like hers, who "should not have to bear the cost of harmful industry practices." She said clean air should not come with a cost and that no New Yorker should suffer because they can't afford to breathe.

But not everyone agrees on the bill's impact. Bill Hammond from the Empire Center suggested that proposals like this bill would "drive up health-care costs." While mandating no cost-sharing for inhalers would ease the burden for some families, it would "shift the expense to other insurance customers." He argued that the costs of small, individual mandates—like for so-called free inhalers—drive up premiums across the industry.

Asthma has no cure, but the chronic lung disease that causes wheezing, breathlessness, chest tightness, and coughing "can be fully managed with guidelines-based care," according to Dr. James McDonald, Commissioner of the New York State Department of Health. Common triggers include dust, pollen, pollution, smoke, exercise, and weather changes. High-burden regions like the Bronx, Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens account for over 60% of New York's total asthma-related emergency room visits and hospitalizations.

Asthma accounts for more than 1.7 million emergency room visits each year and over $50 billion in healthcare costs. And some inhalers can cost as much as $640 each month.

The CDC reports that asthma claims about 10 lives daily. They estimated that about 315,000 children in New York—roughly 8% of all kids statewide—had asthma in 2021.

In New York, over 1.4 million adults have asthma, according to DOH data. That's about one out of 10 adults, and their one in 12 figure for kids aligns with CDC numbers. Between 2009 and 2019, asthma caused about 299 deaths every year in New York. In 2014, asthma-related services for just Medicaid patients cost over $316 million, averaging $994 per visit.

DOH data also shows that asthma disproportionately impacts Black and Hispanic people, younger age groups, and communities with a lower socioeconomic status. DOH also accounts for one out of every two New Yorkers with asthma not having their condition under control.