Testimony, Comments, & Letters

FederalState
;

House testimony on FY27 funding for domestic HIV and hepatitis programs

Apr 16, 2026

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.

read more

Letter to Connecticut Legislature expressing concerns with the Joint Favorable Substitute of HB 5040 and impact on HIV medications

Apr 9, 2026

We would like to express our opposition to Section 2 and concerns with Section 3 of the Joint Favorable Substitute of HB 5040. Section 2 would remove protections for antiretroviral (ARV) medications for the treatment and prevention of HIV from the imposition of prior authorization or step therapy by allowing them to be given “non-preferred” status on Connecticut’s Medicaid Preferred Drug List (PDL). These protections have been in place for over two decades. Section 3 would allow Connecticut to conduct cost-effectiveness reviews of outpatient drugs in Medicaid that could rely on discriminatory measures that devalue patients and require comparisons between U.S. drug prices and those in foreign countries.

read more

Letter to the Dept. of Labor on improving transparency into pharmacy benefit manager fee disclosure

Apr 8, 2026

We strongly support the Department of Labor’s proposed rule to increase transparency in pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) compensation and financial arrangements. Greater transparency is essential to improving accountability across the prescription drug supply chain and ensuring that plan fiduciaries have the information necessary to assess the reasonableness of PBM contracts and practices. We urge the Department to finalize and implement this rule without delay, with the recommendations outlined in this letter.

read more

Letter to Delaware legislature suggesting amendments to strengthen PrEP bills under consideration

Mar 30, 2026

We have some concerns with the current language that we believe can be addressed as the bill moves forward. In particular, we are concerned that the “medical necessity” coverage standard creates unnecessary ambiguity that could limit access to the full range of PrEP options and may be weaker than current federal guidance. To strengthen the bill and ensure comprehensive, durable access, we recommend three targeted changes: clarifying the coverage standard to require all FDA-approved PrEP medications, strengthening the scope of covered services, and restoring the original 2027 effective date.

read more

Comments to CCIIO on the 2027 Draft Letter to Issuers in the Federally-Facilitated Exchanges

Mar 23, 2026

We urge CMS to prioritize oversight of the Marketplace, which serves as an essential safety net within the country’s health insurance system and is of critical importance to people affected by HIV and other serious and chronic health conditions.  We urge CCIIO to reject proposals that decrease access to care by weakening network adequacy, time and distance, and ECP standards; enforce existing rules requiring copay assistance to count towards patient cost-sharing and that covered drugs are considered EHB; and improve the tools CMS provides to regulators to detect formulary coverage that deters enrollment by people living with HIV. As the key regulator of health insurance in the United States, we urge CCIIO to ensure that Marketplace plans provide meaningful, affordable, and non-discriminatory coverage to all. 

read more

Search

Categories

Tags

340B ACA Appropriations Biden administration CDC co-pay accumulators Congress copay copay accumulator Copay accumulators Copay assistance Cost-sharing COVID-19 Drug Pricing FDA Gay men healthcare Hepatitis Hepatitis B hepatitis C Hepatitis Prevention HHS HIV HIV Prevention Insurers Medicaid medicare Medicare Part D NAIC NIH PBM PBMs PrEP Prescription Drugs Private Insurance private insurers Ryan White Program state STDs Syringe services Testing transparency Treatment Trump administration women

Recent Testimony, Letters, Comments

Pin It on Pinterest