Democrats introduce bill to remove insurance barriers for HIV prevention medicine

Truvada for PrEP, an HIV antiretroviral drug
Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Senate Democrats are trying to make it easier for communities at risk of HIV transmission to access pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP. PrEP, when taken as prescribed, is 99% effective at stopping the transmission of HIV.

Sen. Adam Schiff (D-CA) and Sen. Tina Smith (D-MN) introduced the PrEP Access and Coverage Act of 2021 last week in the Senate, a bill that they argue will help overcome some of the barriers to getting PrEP.

Related: Biden administration orders insurance companies to cover all costs associated with PrEP

The bill would eliminate out-of-pocket costs for PrEP for people who use public and some private insurance plans, making it easier to afford the medication.

It would also ban the practice of prior authorization for PrEP. Prior authorization is where doctors and other health care providers are required to justify the decision to prescribe PrEP and get approval from the insurance company. It’s a way insurance companies cut costs, and in the case of PrEP it puts people at risk of getting HIV.

The bill would also tackle…

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