HIV+Hep in the News

“We have already seen a dismantling of many domestic HIV programs with staff cuts, grant terminations, and offices shut down, and [the May 2] budget confirms the dangerous direction we are headed in,” HIV+Hepatitis Policy Institute executive director Carl Schmid, a gay man, stated. “We look forward to explaining to the Congress the critical federal role in addressing infectious diseases, such as HIV and hepatitis, and the serious implications and consequences to the health of our country if these programs are not adequately supported.”

“On the positive side, it appears that most existing HIV care and treatment programs, including most components of the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program and its part of the Ending the HIV Epidemic (EHE) initiative, would remain intact,” Carl Schmid, executive director of the HIV+Hepatitis Policy Institute, said in a statement. “However, the budget completely ignores HIV prevention at CDC, which includes surveillance, testing, PrEP [pre-exposure prophylaxis] programs, and linkage to care. It is not known if it is zeroed out, cut, or moved to another part of HHS.”

“We urge the Court to uphold the preventive services requirement, as supported by the Trump administration. President Trump and Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert Kennedy Jr. are prioritizing prevention as a key component of making our country healthier. Preventing chronic infectious diseases, such as HIV and hepatitis, through testing and PrEP covered by private insurance is critically vital, especially now that the federal government is seeking to reduce spending. Without the coverage requirement, people at risk of HIV and hepatitis will likely forgo accessing the services or depend more on government programs for their testing and PrEP. However, we are not adequately addressing the needs of the uninsured today, and, given current budget constraints, which are bound to get worse, we will certainly not be able to afford the necessary preventive services for the insured without the coverage requirement. If we are to prevent infectious disease and other health conditions, the Court has no choice but to uphold access to these necessary preventive services.”

Carl Schmid, executive director of the HIV+Hepatitis Policy Institute, said he’s also been astonished by the sudden about-face in Trump’s second term. Schmid said he hopes Brett Giroir is able to get the attention of the new administration. “I think there is a concern that some of the new folks in Trump 47 aren’t aware of what Trump 45 did, and he wanted to remind people,” Schmid said.

Advocates for patients with severe chronic conditions are calling on the Trump administration to block insurers, pharmacy benefit managers and other third-party vendors from designating certain drugs covered by CMS as “non-essential” to evade adhering to Affordable Care Act cost-sharing limits. Eighty patient, provider and caregiver advocacy organizations wrote to Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer Tuesday (April 22) urging the Labor and Treasury departments to issue a regulation to close a loophole in the ACA by clarifying that all drugs covered by a plan in the large group and self-funded markets must be considered EHBs. Therefore, cost sharing for these items and services must count towards an enrollee’s annual cost-sharing limits.