New York State Department of Financial Services reports Governor Hochul signed law eliminating cost-sharing for asthma inhalers on state-regulated health plans

The New York State Department of Financial Services published an update on legislation signed by Governor Kathy Hochul that eliminates patient cost-sharing for asthma inhalers for enrollees on New York State-regulated health insurance plans. The law requires plans to make available at least one rescue inhaler and one maintenance inhaler for asthma treatment without deductibles, co-pays, coinsurance, or other cost-sharing. The measure (S.1804-A/A.128-A) requires every insurance policy to include coverage for inhalers for the treatment of asthma and sets a minimum access standard of one cost-free rescue and one cost-free maintenance inhaler. The release notes that inhaler costs can reach as high as USD 640 per month in some cases and cites asthma prevalence in New York, including more than 1.4 million adults and an estimated 315,000 children (8.9% of the child population). The announcement also points to a 2024 law eliminating insulin cost-sharing for New Yorkers on state-regulated health plans, which was estimated to save USD 14 million in 2025.