Illinois bill could cap cost of inhalers
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WCIA) – A proposal in Springfield is looking to make life-saving drugs more affordable and accessible to people who need them most.
People suffering from asthma or COPD might rely on an inhaler to help them breathe or to control their symptoms.
“These [inhalers] help to open their airways and help them breathe, and oftentimes can help them survive, stay alive,” Kristina Hamilton, the Illinois advocacy director for the American Lung Association, said.
According to the American Lung Association, more than 1.4 million people in Illinois suffer from a lung disease.
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Those life-saving drugs come with a cost. Inhalers can range from $180 to $300 a month, even with insurance in some cases. Some people need multiple and the bills can add up quickly, keeping people away from the medicine they need most.
“Without these inhalers, they will have difficulty breathing and can, unfortunately, sometimes die or become hospitalized because of their difficulty breathing,” Hamilton said. “So it is critical that people have consistent access to prescription inhaler medications and that they are affordable.”
A bill in the Capitol is looking to make a change and give people financial relief. Under the proposal, the cost of an inhaler would be capped at $25 for a month’s supply. For people buying more than one, the price would be limited to $50.
“They won’t be choosing between buying groceries and spending money on their inhalers,” Hamilton said. “These inhalers will be more accessible.”
The Illinois Pharmacists Association supports the bill.
“It helps us lead towards a policy discussion, which I think is desperately needed, about looking at how medications are properly priced,” Garth Reynolds, the organization’s executive director, said. “And then really looking at pulling back the curtain on what is really driving the costs.”
Reynolds said policies like this haven’t shown any harmful effects on pharmacies.
“This type of approach of legislation we haven’t seen, as of yet, a negative impact on pharmacies and being able to impact the business aspect of a pharmacy,” Reynolds said.
This isn’t the first time lawmakers have made a move to cap the price of medicine. Last year, they passed a law to cap the cost for a twin pack of EpiPens to $60.
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