Illinois Law Caps Monthly Cost of Prescription Inhalers at $25
Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed a bill on Friday that will cap the monthly cost of prescription inhalers at $25 for people with health insurance. The new law, set to take effect on Jan. 1, 2025, will also prohibit health insurance companies from denying or limiting coverage for these essential medications starting Jan. 1, 2026.
According to the Illinois Department of Public Health, more than 850,000 adults and 160,000 children in Illinois are diagnosed with asthma. Currently, many of these individuals pay between $180 to $300 per month for rescue and controller inhalers.
The legislation, Senate Bill 3203, passed the Illinois House on May 22 with an 87-21 vote, following a 53-2 vote in the Senate.
“Last year, 5,541 children alone had to go to the ER for asthma attacks, which cost on average $1,548 per visit, totaling over $8 million,” said Rep. Laura Faver Dias (D-Grayslake). “When people have access to affordable medication, trips to the ER are reduced.”
Kristina Hamilton, Illinois Director of Advocacy for the American Lung Association, praised the bill’s signing.
“We applaud Governor Pritzker for signing Illinois Senate Bill SB3203 into law and helping to reduce the financial burden of rising inhaler costs for Illinoisans. This new law will not only make these life-saving medications more affordable for Illinois residents but also more accessible,” Hamilton said. “People with chronic lung disease often need two to three inhalers. Nearly one in four adults who take prescription drugs report difficulty affording their costs. Nationwide, the annual per person medical cost of asthma was $1,830 for prescriptions alone.”
