HIV

63 HIV organizations urge Biden administration to require insurers to cover long-acting PrEP without cost-sharing

“Long-acting PrEP can be the answer to low PrEP uptake, particularly in the communities not using PrEP today. The Biden administration has an opportunity to ensure that people with private insurance can access PrEP now and into the future, free of any cost-sharing, with properly worded guidance to insurers,” commented Carl Schmid, Executive Director of the HIV+Hepatitis Policy Institute. “Poor PrEP uptake among various racial and ethnic groups is an example of failed healthcare decisions of the past. CMS can help correct these inequities by requiring insurers nationwide to cover all FDA-approved PrEP drugs, without burdensome prior authorizations, and begin the vigorous enforcement of ACA protections that has been lacking to date.”

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House proposes to gut ending HIV programs—again

“Instead of providing new investments in ending HIV by increasing funding for testing, prevention programs, such as PrEP, and life-saving care and treatment, House Republicans are again choosing to go through a worthless exercise of cutting programs that the American people depend on and will never pass,” said Carl Schmid, executive director of the HIV+Hepatitis Policy Institute. “These were purposeful decisions that are well below the agreed-upon budget caps. While we will vigorously fight these cuts, we look forward to working with the entire Congress in a bipartisan fashion on spending bills that can actually become law.”

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New CDC HIV Data Demonstrates the Impact of Flat Funding

While we would have liked to see improved outcomes, federal funding for CDC HIV prevention and the Ryan White HIV/AIDS care and treatment program, along with other critical programs, has remained flat for years. The only increases have been for the Ending the HIV Epidemic initiative, and even that program hasn’t received the increases it needs to be successful,” commented Carl Schmid, executive director of the HIV+Hepatitis Policy Institute. “Without significant increases for care and treatment, and prevention programs, including those for PrEP, sadly we will continue to experience only small drops in the number of new diagnoses, and racial and ethnic disparities will persist. As a nation, we can and must do better.”

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Congress agrees to maintain funding for domestic HIV programs

“After House Republicans initially put at risk the nation’s progress in ending HIV, we are relieved that House and Senate congressional negotiators have agreed to maintain funding for domestic HIV prevention, care, and treatment programs,” said Carl Schmid, executive director of the HIV+Hepatitis Policy Institute.

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Biden budget maintains domestic HIV funding & proposes PrEP & hepatitis C programs

“While we appreciate the proposed continued funding of  domestic HIV and hepatitis programs and acknowledge the legislatively imposed budget constraints and competing priorities, the reality is that, without serious increases, our nation cannot meet its goals to end the HIV and hepatitis epidemics on time,” commented Carl Schmid, Executive Director of the HIV+Hepatitis Policy Institute. “Now, we must take our case for any funding increases to Congress, which has found it difficult to agree on spending bills, and House Republicans have even proposed to cut domestic HIV spending this year by $767 million.”

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