S 1804 New York Senate · 2025 Regular Session

Requires insurance coverage for certain inhalers at no cost

S 1804 requires health insurance plans in New York to cover one rescue inhaler and one maintenance inhaler for asthma treatment at no cost to the patient, eliminating deductibles, copays, or coinsurance. This applies to all comprehensive health insurance policies (including major medical, group, and health service corporation plans) that cover prescription drugs. The law specifically mandates coverage for inhalers prescribed by a physician or licensed provider, with a limited exception for high-deductible plans that would otherwise disqualify enrollees from health savings accounts. The bill takes effect January 1, 2027, for all new or renewed policies after that date. It directly affects New Yorkers with asthma who rely on insurance for inhaler access.
Bill status in committee 3 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2025
Committee Review
Jun 2025
Senate Passage
Jun 2025
Assembly Passage
Governor
Introduced Jan 13, 2025 Last action Jun 10, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

S1804 S1804A · 6 edits
MODERATE
This bill was amended to expand coverage requirements for asthma inhalers under New York's insurance law. The changes add new sponsors, clarify that coverage applies to policies with prescription drug benefits, and specify that both rescue and maintenance inhalers should be covered without cost-sharing. The effective date was also changed from immediate to January 1, 2027.
Scope change
The bill now applies to policies that provide prescription drug coverage in addition to medical coverage, and includes an exception for high-deductible health plans.
ELIGIBILITY

Added three new sponsors to the bill: Gonzalez and Jackson.

REQUIREMENT

Changed the coverage requirement from requiring inhalers to be recommended or prescribed to requiring them to be prescribed by a physician or licensed health care provider.

Added specific requirement that coverage must include one form of rescue inhaler and one form of maintenance inhaler.

Added exception allowing high-deductible health plans to apply their annual deductible to inhaler coverage if doing so would prevent eligibility for a health savings account.

Modified the scope of policies covered to require that policies must provide both medical coverage and prescription drug coverage for the inhaler requirement to apply.

TIMELINE

Changed the effective date from immediate to January 1, 2027, and the application date to policies issued, renewed, or modified on or after that date.

Floor votes · Senate Jun 4, 2025

How they voted

200
Passed · 1 other
Total votes 21
Jun 4, 2025
D Democratic14
13 Yea 1
92% Yea
R Republican7
7 Yea
100% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
7
Key actions
3
Committee
2
Amendments
2
Jun 4, 2025
Committee
COMMITTEE DISCHARGED AND COMMITTED TO RULES
upper
Jun 4, 2025
Senate · Passed
Senate Vote: pass (20-0-1)
senate
May 28, 2025
Upper · Passed
PRINT NUMBER 1804A
upper
May 28, 2025
Upper · Passed
AMEND (T) AND RECOMMIT TO INSURANCE
upper
Jan 13, 2025
Committee
REFERRED TO INSURANCE
upper
1 primary · 3 co-sponsors

Sponsors