1. United States
2. Wisc.
3. Letter

Dear Members of Congress, I urgently request your action to extend the $35 cap on inhaler coupon cards, set to expire at the end of 2025. This vital program, implemented by AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, and GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), has made inhalers affordable for millions with asthma and COPD. Its termination would endanger their health and financial stability. Over 25 million Americans rely on inhalers to manage asthma and COPD. The $35 cap, effective June 1, 2024, for AstraZeneca and Boehringer Ingelheim, and no later than January 1, 2025, for GSK, has drastically reduced costs for those with commercial insurance or no insurance. Without it, patients could face inhaler prices exceeding $100, forcing choices between medication and essentials like rent or food. This cap benefits vulnerable groups—seniors, children, and underserved communities with high respiratory illness rates. Expiring the program risks increased emergency visits, hospitalizations, and preventable deaths, costing our healthcare system billions. Extending the $35 cap is both compassionate and cost-effective. AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, and GSK have shown that affordability and industry viability can coexist. I urge you to pass legislation ensuring this cap remains permanent, prioritizing patients over politics. No American should choose between breathing and financial survival. Please include this extension in upcoming healthcare legislation. Your constituents depend on your action to maintain access to life-saving inhalers.