Senate approves bills to limit costs for inhalers and diabetes supplies

PROVIDENCE – The state Senate has approved two bills sponsored by Sen. Melissa Murray to limit insured patients' costs for inhalers and for supplies and equipment used to monitor or treat diabetes.

The bills, which now go to the House of Representatives, are aimed at lowering costs for medical supplies that are critical for the many Rhode Islanders living with diabetes, asthma and other chronic conditions, according to a news release.

One bill (2026-S 2877) caps copays for a 30-day supply of insulin administration and glucose monitoring supplies at $25 for a 30-day supply, or per item for those intended for use for longer than 30 days.

Like the 2021 state law – also sponsored by Sen. Murray — that capped insulin copays at $40 a month, the legislation would apply to private insurers, health maintenance organizations, nonprofit hospital service or medical service corporations and the state employee health insurance plans that cover such supplies.

The second bill (2026-S 2876) would cap insured patients' costs for prescription asthma inhalers for an FDA-approved respiratory condition at $25 per 30-day supply and prohibit insurers from making it subject to any deductible.

Rhode Island had the third-highest rate of asthma among adults among the 50 states in 2023 and has consistently had higher than average rates of asthma and respiratory disease, particularly in urban areas surrounding Providence. According to the Department of Health, children from Providence, Pawtucket, Central Falls and Woonsocket are hospitalized for asthma 28 percent more often than children in the rest of the state, according to the release.

The average cost of an inhaler has risen sharply in the last 15 years, as new designs for inhalers have allowed drugmakers to increase the price of the inhaler even as the drug inside has not changed, states the release.

Both bills would take effect Jan. 1. They now go to the House of Representatives, where Rep. Brian Patrick Kennedy is sponsoring companion legislation (2026-H 7188) for the diabetes supply bill and Rep. David Morales is sponsoring companion legislation (2026-H 7948) for the inhaler bill.