Many People Are Forced To Pay For HIV Prevention Medication Despite Requirements Guaranteeing Free Access To Treatment

The Washington Post (11/29, A1, Nirappil) reported, “Tens of thousands of people most vulnerable to contracting HIV are forced to pay for medication to prevent the virus, despite federal requirements guaranteeing free access to treatment that is critical to ending the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the United States, according to multiple studies and interviews with medical professionals, activists and patients.” Insurers “are skirting rules compelling them to pay for pre-exposure prophylaxis treatment, known as PrEP, researchers and HIV advocacy organizations say – leaving patients to shell out hundreds of dollars each year for medication co-pays,” physician “visits and screenings required to stay on drugs that reduce the risk of contracting HIV through sex by 99 percent.”