Testimony

Senate testimony on FY26 appropriations for HIV and hepatitis

As a nation, we are able to advance efforts to end the HIV and viral hepatitis epidemics. We possess proven prevention tools, including pre-exposure prophylaxis medication (PrEP), and effective treatments. We urge you to continue your historically strong commitment and leverage this pivotal moment to support the nation’s public health by comprehensively addressing these chronic diseases. Increased investment – and certainly not cuts – in surveillance, education, prevention, and care and treatment will lead to further progress in reducing HIV and viral hepatitis and allow us to continue to hold the promise of ending these epidemics.

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Opposition to Massachusetts S.875 to Create a Prescription Drug Accountability Board

The HIV+Hepatitis Policy Institute remains committed to advancing policies that ensure access to affordable medications while fostering the development needed to fight HIV and hepatitis. We urge you to oppose S.875 and recommend exploring alternative approaches that directly address affordability without risking access or undermining medical advancements.

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Support for Wisconsin SB203 to ban copay accumulators

The HIV+Hepatitis Policy Institute, a leading organization advocating for equitable and affordable healthcare for individuals living with or at risk of HIV, hepatitis, and other chronic health conditions, strongly supports the provision in Senate Bill 203 that ensures third-party copay assistance counts toward patients’ deductibles and out-of-pocket maximums.

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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.

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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.

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