State

Complaint letter to Mississippi insurance commissioner on Blue Cross Blue Shield of Mississippi PrEP & HIV treatment coverage Restrictions

We are submitting this formal complaint against Blue Cross Blue Shield of Mississippi (BCBSMS) regarding certain formularies offered on the individual and fully insured markets in Mississippi. First, BCBSMS is violating federal preventive health coverage requirements by covering only one of four pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) medications to prevent HIV. Second, BCBSMS’ medical policy deeming long-acting injectables for the treatment of HIV “not medically necessary” does not allow for a meaningful formulary exceptions process as required by federal Essential Health Benefit (EHB) regulations.

read more

Letter to Massachusetts Budget Conference Committee supporting FY27 HIV PrEP access provisions and HIV/AIDS funding

As you work to reconcile the Massachusetts Fiscal Year 2027 budget, we write to thank you for your longstanding leadership and advocacy on behalf of the HIV community. We respectfully urge the Conference Committee to adopt two critical HIV priorities passed by the House: (1) the comprehensive HIV PrEP access provisions, and (2) the robust $35 million funding level for the state’s HIV/AIDS and infectious disease programs.

read more

Letter to Louisiana Senate in Opposition to Reinstating Copay Maximizer Language in HB 1236

Copay assistance programs exist to help patients afford the high costs of essential medications. For people living with HIV and hepatitis B, lifelong daily treatment is required. For hepatitis C, a curative treatment is available but often comes with a high upfront cost. Without assistance that counts toward out-of-pocket limits, patients in high-deductible or high-cost-sharing plans may be forced to go without treatment. Allowing maximizer programs to flourish, particularly under the false premise that they benefit patients, only reinforces barriers to treatment.

read more

Letter to all Medicaid expansion states requesting HIV exemption from community engagement requirements

People with serious and complex medical conditions or special medical needs are statutorily exempt from the community engagement requirement. Federal implementation guidance due by June is expected to provide further detail on how states may implement this exemption.  While we are seeking a federal exemption, under the law, states are allowed to define which populations qualify for the exemption.  We urge Alaska Medicaid to explicitly state that HIV is a serious and complex medical condition and that all people living with HIV (both symptomatic and asymptomatic) have special medical needs and fall under this exemption. 

read more

Pin It on Pinterest