We are pleased that senators of both parties recognize the critical importance of preventing HIV in the United States and the value of nationwide surveillance, testing, education, and PrEP programs. The president’s proposed elimination of HIV prevention and surveillance programs, along with on and off staff and grant cuts and delays, have left HIV prevention in disarray. We hope the Senate’s vote of confidence for HIV prevention will start to bring the stability we need so that state and local health departments, other grantees, and staff can get back to doing their work.

For the sake of millions of patients who rely on copay assistance to afford their prescription drugs, it is long past time for the federal government to comply with the Court: either require insurers to comply with the current rule that allows copay assistance to count in most instances or issue a new cost-sharing rule. We know President Trump wants to lower how much Americans pay for their drugs, especially compared to other nations, and requiring copay assistance to count will lower patients’ costs and reduce profiteering by drug middlemen.

In a recent 6 to 3 decision in Kennedy v. Braidwood Management, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of the ACA requirement that insurers must cover USPSTF-recommended preventive services at no cost. Now we must focus on making sure insurers comply with and regulators enforce the law, particularly with new, long-acting forms of PrEP. This victory is all the more important now that the Trump administration is seeking to defund much of CDC’s HIV and hepatitis prevention programs.

We deeply thank Chairman Cassidy and Senator Van Hollen for their bipartisan leadership and dedication to eliminating hepatitis C. This bill, if enacted, will finally provide the necessary resources to ensure that more people are diagnosed and linked to no-cost treatment so that we can eventually eliminate hepatitis C.

The HIV+Hepatitis Policy Institute, along with more than 75 organizations representing patients, providers, and public health advocates, is urging U.S. Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer to issue a promised federal rule that would close a harmful loophole that allows insurers, pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), and third-party vendors to exploit patient copay assistance programs for financial gain.