HIV

Congress lifts Ending HIV Epidemic initiative funding by $100 million

Congressional appropriators have released the final FY2023 appropriations bill and have increased funding for the Ending the HIV Epidemic in the U.S. initiative by $100 million for a total of $613 million, according to the Appropriations Committee.  While far short of the $330 million increase proposed in President Biden’s budget, it does provide increases to ramp up domestic HIV testing, prevention, and treatment programs in order to end HIV.

read more

USPSTF updates PrEP rating to include long-acting PrEP to prevent HIV

The HIV+Hepatitis Policy Institute is extremely pleased that the USPSTF, at our request, has updated its recommendation for PrEP to prevent HIV and include newly approved long-acting drugs. Due to the importance of preventing HIV and the superiority of long-acting PrEP compared to daily oral PrEP, the USPSTF acted in record speed. Now we urge insurers to ensure its coverage and offer it without cost-sharing.  We are hearing many complaints by people who are still being charged cost-sharing for oral PrEP and its associated services. People seeking PrEP are facing too many barriers to access and we need state and federal regulators to take the necessary steps to correct these problems.

read more

HIV organizations file discrimination complaints against North Carolina Blue Cross Blue Shield

Today, the HIV+Hepatitis Policy Institute and the North Carolina AIDS Action Network filed discrimination complaints against Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina for placing almost all HIV drugs, including generic Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP), on the highest drug tiers, thus forcing people living with and vulnerable to HIV to pay excessive high costs to take their drugs.

read more

Texas court decision on PrEP must not stand: Preventing HIV is a public health imperative

Preventive services covered by private insurance plans without cost- sharing, such as HIV testing, hepatitis B and C testing, and PrEP, are all critical and well-established public health preventive services that must continue. To single out PrEP, which are FDA approved drugs that effectively prevent HIV, and conclude that its coverage violates the religious freedom of certain individuals, is plain wrong, highly discriminatory, and impedes the public health of our nation.  PrEP is not just for gay men, but for anyone who may be at risk of HIV.

read more

Pin It on Pinterest