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.
Letter to Michigan Senate supporting bill to ensure copay assistance counts for patients
By passing SB 914, Michigan will join 26 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.
ACA complaint filed with Pennsylvania Insurance Commissioner on Highmark Marketplace Plans
We are writing to submit a formal complaint regarding plans offered on the Pennsylvania Marketplace by Highmark Inc. Our formulary review has found that Highmark plans offered in the 2026 plan year appear to violate federal Essential Health Benefits (EHB), discrimination, and preventive health coverage requirements in the following ways: (1) use of a copay maximizer; (2) adverse tiering; and (3) non-compliant coverage of preventive health, specifically of HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP).
House testimony on FY27 funding for domestic HIV and hepatitis programs
The HIV+Hepatitis Policy Institute respectfully submits this testimony in support of increased funding for domestic HIV and hepatitis programs at the Department of Health and Human Services for FY 2027. Specifically, this testimony is in support of funding for the following initiatives, programs and divisions: 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 – $3.13 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 – $7.6 million. We also support maintaining funding for CDC’s Eliminating Opioid-Related Infectious Diseases Program and Division of Adolescent and School Health; the Minority HIV/AIDS Initiative; AIDS Research at the NIH; the Title X Family Planning Program; the Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program; and the SAMHSA Hepatitis C Elimination Initiative Pilot.
Letter opposing Virginia’s HB483 to create a Prescription Drug Affordability Board
While we share a commitment to addressing the high cost of prescription drugs, we have significant concerns with HB483 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.