New Yorkers with asthma may soon be able to breathe a little easier.
Gov. Kathy Hochul signed legislation Monday that will make inhalers free for many New Yorkers starting in 2027.
Under the new law, state-regulated health plans, including those sold on the state’s Affordable Care Act marketplace, will be required to cover the full cost of the medical devices without imposing any copays or other out-of-pocket fees on patients.
“Life-saving devices such as asthma inhalers should not be cost-prohibitive to our state’s residents,” Assemblymember Jessica González-Rojas, who introduced the legislation in her chamber, said in a statement Monday. “This is essential medicine for hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers.”
State Sen. Gustavo Rivera, who represents the Bronx, introduced the legislation in the Senate. The Bronx has the highest asthma rate in the city, as well as the highest rate of emergency department visits, according to state data.
As of 2021, an estimated 1.4 million adults and 315,000 children had asthma statewide, according to the state Department of Health.
Some inhaler manufacturers have capped prices at $35 per month in recent years, but patients’ out-of-pocket costs can vary depending on the medication in their inhalers and their insurance.
The move to make inhalers free on state-regulated plans comes as the cost of marketplace insurance is set to rise next year as enhanced federal subsidies expire. A similar state law eliminating insulin copays for New Yorkers with diabetes took effect this year.
