Asthma and COPD patients in Illinois can expect financial relief following Governor J.B. Pritzker's signing of Illinois Senate Bill SB3203 into law today. The legislation, sponsored by Senator Mattie Hunter (D-Chicago), limits the monthly cost of a single prescription inhaler—including both rescue and controller inhalers—to $25. The bill successfully passed through the Legislature in May.
Kristina Hamilton, Illinois Director of Advocacy for the American Lung Association, commented on 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 accessible too."
Hamilton highlighted that individuals with chronic lung disease often require two to three inhalers. She noted that nearly one in four adults who take prescription drugs report difficulty affording their costs. Nationally, the annual per person medical cost of asthma was $1,830 for prescriptions alone.
The new law will come into effect on January 1, 2025, and will apply to health insurance plans governed by the Illinois Insurance Code.
