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4/28/2026
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Senate approves Murray bills limiting copays for inhalers, diabetes supplies and equipment
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STATE HOUSE – The Senate today 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.
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 Senator 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.
“Monitoring glucose and administering insulin are essential for people living
with diabetes. While the skyrocketing cost of insulin in recent years has been an important issue that has captured national attention, that is not the only cost that burdens those with diabetes. Supplies like testing strips, blood sugar meters, and insulin pumps and other items that are critical for diabetes maintenance add up and can become cost prohibitive for people who desperately need them. When patients can’t afford the equipment for preventative maintenance, they have no choice but to go without, sometimes with fatal consequences,” said Senator Murray (D-Dist. 24, Woonsocket, North Smithfield), who chairs the Senate Health and Human Services Committee.
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.
“Unfortunately, asthma rates are higher in many of the communities where people are least able to afford high prescription costs. No one should have to go without or ration their inhaler use — or have to ask their suffering child to do that — because of high costs,” said Chairwoman Murray. “Keeping the costs of inhalers reasonable is important for maintaining public health and ensuring that patients with asthma and COPD — especially our children and seniors — can afford the drugs and devices that keep them healthy and out of the hospital.”
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% more often than children in the rest of the state.
The average cost of an inhaler has risen sharply in the last 15 years, as new designs for inhalers have allowed drug makers to increase the price of the inhaler even as the drug inside has not changed.
Both bills would take effect Jan. 1. They now go to the House of Representatives, where Rep. Brian Patrick Kennedy (D-Dist. 38, Hopkinton, Westerly) is sponsoring companion legislation (2026-H 7188) for the diabetes supply bill and Rep. David Morales (D-Dist. 7, Providence) is sponsoring companion legislation (2026-H 7948) for the inhaler bill.
For more information, contact:
Meredyth R. Whitty, Publicist
State House Room 20
Providence, RI 02903
(401) 222-1923
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