NE LB971

Requires individual and group health insurance policies, subscriber contracts, and self-funded employee benefit plans in Nebraska to cover inhalers for asthma treatment when prescribed by a licensed health care practitioner

Mandates coverage for one rescue inhaler and one maintenance inhaler without deductibles, copayments, coinsurance, or other cost-sharing requirements

Exempts policies that provide coverage only for specified diseases or other limited benefit coverage from the requirement

Allows high deductible health plans (as defined in IRS Code section 223(c)(2)) to apply annual deductibles to inhaler coverage if eliminating cost-sharing would disqualify enrollees from health savings account eligibility

Introduced by Senator Guereca (District 7) on January 12, 2026, during the 109th Legislature's second session