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.
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.
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.
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 House Bill 1216. This vital legislation ensures that health insurers accept and count payments made on behalf of patients toward their deductibles and out-of-pocket maximums.
While we share a commitment to addressing the high cost of prescription drugs, we have significant concerns with H.B. 1724 that creates a Prescription Drug Affordability Board (PDAB). We believe it will not translate into lower drug costs for patients and may dampen future drug development. Access to and affordability of the latest drugs are especially critical for patients living with HIV, hepatitis, cancer, and rare diseases. People with HIV and hepatitis B rely on drug treatments that they must take for the rest of their lives, while people with hepatitis C can be cured of their disease in as little as 8 to 12 weeks. We also now have medications that prevent HIV.