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Will Eco-friendly Inhalers Cost Kids with Asthma More Green?
As the nation prepares to transition from chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) albuterol metered-dose inhalers to hydroflouroalkane (HFA) inhalers, a letter in the March issue of the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology questions if the greener choice will cost families more money.
According to University of Michigan C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital pediatric allergist Dr. Harvey Leo, newly mandated environmentally friendly inhalers will come at a greater cost to low- and middle-income families. Most will see a significant increase in their prescription co-payments or out-of-pocket costs, especially since a generic version of the medication will not be available. In fact, Leo states it could amount to a 200 to 400 percent increase in out-of-pocket costs for insured patients.
Federal programs that help low-income families obtain asthma medications also are expected to see a two- to threefold increase in cost since no generic medication will be available, he says.
Leo worries that patients may try to save money by purchasing less effective medications to control their asthma, or using their medications less frequently than prescribed. He says such changes in recommended treatment plans would ultimately lead to increased risk for children with asthma, and the need for more urgent and costly care.
