Patients would receive protections from rising health care costs by ensuring that health plans count copay assistance toward a patient’s maximum out-of-pocket cost or annual deductible, under bipartisan legislation introduced this week by Senator André Jacque and Representative Paul Tittl. The authors say such copay assistance programs are often a lifeline to help patients afford specialty medications for serious health conditions. Sixteen other states have already enacted such protections.

With the ever-rising costs of health care, prescription drugs, and health care insurance, families are rightly looking for ways to manage the increases and still provide adequate coverage for their loved ones. Co-pays on visits, treatments, and prescription medicines counting towards meeting a deductible or out-of-pocket costs seems reasonable and responsible.