As the Board finalizes its list of prescription drugs to review, we want to reiterate our concerns about the inclusion of HIV and hepatitis medications and encourage the Board to reconsider their inclusion. We believe that affordability reviews of HIV medications fail to fully account for the intricacies of the existing HIV safety net, which makes lifesaving HIV treatments affordable for most people. We also want to highlight numerous factors in the global HIV drug ecosystem that would be difficult for a state to effectively consider.
Testimony in support of South Carolina H3934 to ban copay accumulators
By passing H 3934, South Carolina will join 24 other states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico in protecting consumers purchasing insurance on the private market. This legislation ensures that copay assistance counts toward cost-sharing obligations, preventing patients from facing insurmountable financial barriers to their medications. For people with HIV, hepatitis, and other chronic conditions, reliable access to medication is critical. Individuals with HIV and hepatitis B require lifelong drug regimens, while those with hepatitis C can be cured in as little as 8 to 12 weeks. Yet high deductibles and cost-sharing requirements often make these treatments unaffordable, even for insured patients. Copay assistance is a lifeline, particularly in today’s challenging economic climate, where inflation and rising costs are straining household budgets.
Support for Rhode Island bill banning copay accumlators
When patients are forced to forego their medications due to high costs, the consequences are severe—not just for individual health outcomes, but also for public health and healthcare system costs. Policies that limit access to copay assistance exacerbate these challenges, disproportionately affecting those who are already vulnerable. House Bill 6209 represents an essential safeguard against harmful insurer practices, ensuring equitable access to life-saving treatments for Rhode Island residents.
Comments to Oregon PDAB on HIV medication affordability reviews
We strongly believe that affordability reviews of HIV medications are unnecessary, given the comprehensive safety net programs that effectively ensure access to lifesaving treatments. Any future pricing interventions, such as the imposition of UPLs, could destabilize this well-established network, threatening access to care for people living with HIV. Programs like the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program, the 340B program, and manufacturer copay assistance are critical to sustaining the progress and innovation that have transformed HIV treatment.
House testimony on FY26 appropriations for HIV and hepatitis programs
This testimony is in support of funding for the following initiatives, programs and divisions at the Department of Health and Human Services: Ending the HIV Epidemic Initiative—$395 million for the CDC Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention, $358.6 million for the HRSA Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program, $207.3 million for the HRSA Community Health Centers, and $52 million for the Indian Health Service; Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program—$3.024 billion; CDC Division of HIV Prevention—$822.7 million; CDC Division of Viral Hepatitis—$150 million; and the HHS Office of Infectious Disease and HIV/AIDS Policy—$20 million. The HIV+Hepatitis Policy Institute also supports maintaining and funding CDC’s Eliminating Opioid-Related Infectious Diseases Program and Division of School and Adolescent Health; the Minority HIV/AIDS Initiative; AIDS Research 2 at the NIH; the Title X Family Planning Program; the Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program; and the SAMHSA HIV Block Grant.