Central Valley congressman, TJ Cox (CA-21) has introduced bipartisan legislation – the Inhaler Coverage and Access Now Act (I Can Act) – requiring certain high deductible health plans to cover the cost of inhalers for the treatment of any chronic lung disease, including asthma.
"Everyone with asthma should have affordable access to an inhaler,” said Cox. "By forcing people to pay significant out-of-pocket costs for preventive care like an inhaler, not only do patients have to live in fear of their next asthma episode, but we all end up paying when undoubtedly, more of these individuals end up in the emergency room.”
“I represent California's Central Valley, where unacceptable air quality has been linked to an outsized portion of our population, especially young children, living with asthma. For them and for patients across the country with asthma, I'm proud to introduce the I CAN Act to remove barriers and increase access to inhalers."
The I Can Act is meant to improve the health outcomes of asthma sufferers by providing patients with coverage of inhaler medication, even if the patient has not reached his or her annual deductible.
With high-deductible plans becoming a more popular coverage option, Cox says that it’s more important than ever that key preventative products, like inhalers, are available regardless of whether or not a patient or family has met their deductible. Over the past five years, the percentage of covered Americans with a general annual deductible of $2,000 or more for single coverage has grown from 18% to 28%.
These high deductibles can lead patients to delay or forego care, which can significantly impact health outcomes and exacerbate the severity of chronic conditions. These delays can also increase treatment costs when patients do seek medical attention.
Read the text of the I CAN Act here.