HIV+Hep in the News

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Biden’s inaction leaves copay assistance in limbo

by | Oct 14, 2024

Recent research by the HIV+Hepatitis Policy Institute has revealed that over 150 employers and insurers are taking advantage of the EHB loophole. This list includes: major companies such as Chevron, Citibank, Home Depot, Target, and United Airlines; universities including Harvard, Yale, and New York University; unions like the New York Teamsters and the Screen Actors Guild; states such as Connecticut and Delaware; and insurers, including several Blue Cross/Blue Shield plans. Patient advocacy groups have reacted strongly to these omissions. Carl Schmid, executive director of the HIV+Hepatitis Policy Institute, stated, “Every day these rules are delayed is another day that insurers and PBMs are pocketing billions of dollars meant for patients who are struggling to afford their drugs.” This sentiment reflects the frustration of many who have long advocated for stronger protections.

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Mass. budget includes language expanding access to preventative HIV medications

by | Oct 14, 2024

Massachusetts joins 14 other states in allowing pharmacists to administer PrEP and the post-exposure PEP medications. Kevin Herwig, health policy manager of the HIV + Hepatitis Policy Institute, cited California as one of the earliest states to enact PrEP legislation in 2019 but had to expand its provision in 2024. “Because of the lessons they learned, (California) had to go back and pass a second law,” Herwig said. “So it’s important to learn from other states that are implementing it.”

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‘I’m another statistic. I feel let down’: How HIV prevention stays out of reach for many

by | Oct 13, 2024

Despite payer claims that they need a prior authorization to determine a patient’s risk, that is not their arena, Carl Schmid of the HIV+Hepatitis Policy says. “We don’t need an insurance company to determine if you’re at risk or not. That’s between the provider and the PrEP user.” Prior authorization is among the top-cited barriers to PrEP by clinicians.

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Experts highlight alarming jump in HIV infections among Latinos

by | Oct 11, 2024

Carl Schmid, executive director of the HIV+Hepatitis Policy Institute in Washington, D.C., said he “wholeheartedly agreed” that the Latino HIV crisis has not received the attention it deserves. “We have the data, and we just have to follow the data. And it’s a shame that we’re not devoting the necessary resources to the populations that are most impacted,” Schmid told MedPage Today.

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Access questions hang over Gilead’s HIV shot

by | Oct 8, 2024

In the U.S., most private health insurance plans must cover PrEP without cost-sharing, but more federal guidance is needed to make sure plans cover both pills and injectables without prior authorization, said Carl Schmid, executive director of the HIV+Hepatitis Policy Institute.

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