Today, the Illinois House passed SB3203, sponsored by Rep. Laura Faver Dias (D-Grayslake) and Sen. Mattie Hunter (D-Chicago), which caps the monthly cost of a single prescription inhaler—including rescue and controller inhalers—at $25. The bill previously passed the Senate in April and will now head to Governor Pritzker to be signed into law.
Kristina Hamilton, Illinois Director of Advocacy for the American Lung Association, issued a statement in response to the bill’s passing: “We applaud the Illinois House for passing SB3203 to help reduce the financial burden of rising inhaler costs and urge Governor Pritzker to sign it into law.”
Hamilton highlighted the broader context of medication affordability: “About 1 in 4 adults who take prescription drugs report difficulty affording their costs. This includes 1 in 3 who take 4 or more prescriptions. Nationwide, the annual per person medical cost of asthma was $1,830 for prescriptions alone.”
She also emphasized the importance of adherence to prescription inhaler medication: “People with chronic lung disease often need two to three inhalers. Adherence to prescription inhaler medication can lead to less risks of breathing difficulties, asthma attacks, emergency department visits, and fatalities. The death rate for Black people with asthma is 5 1/2 times greater than for white people in Illinois. These deaths are largely preventable. This law will help ensure that these life-saving medications are more affordable and accessible for Illinois residents.”
The bill will take effect on January 1, 2026, and would apply to health insurance plans under the Illinois Insurance Code.
