TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV\/Gray Florida Capital Bureau) – More than 10,000 Floridians living with HIV now have access to medication after Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a law reversing cuts to a critical drug assistance program.<\/p>\n
The new law provides $30.9 million to keep the AIDS Drug Assistance Program running through June 30. State lawmakers unanimously approved the funding after the health department used emergency orders to slash the program.<\/p>\n
\u201cPeople are now able to breathe a little easier,\u201d said Esteban Wood, director of legislative affairs for the AIDS Healthcare Foundation.<\/p>\n
The changes included reduced eligibility from 400% to 130% of the Federal Poverty Level, eliminated premium assistance and removed medications from the program.<\/p>\n
Michael Rajner, an ADAP patient, said the funding is a temporary fix.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s not the perfect solution, but at least it\u2019s a bandaid to ensure people are maintaining access to life saving medication,\u201d Rajner said.<\/p>\n
Florida Politics: <\/p>\n
Program details<\/p>\n
The program will remain available to Floridians with an adjusted gross household income at or below 400% of the federal poverty level.<\/p>\n
Through June 30, ADAP services must be provided through the distribution of medications directly to eligible Floridians. The HIV\/AIDS medications covered under ADAP must include all drugs listed on the Florida AIDS Drug Assistance Program Formulary as that formulary existed on March 1. Additionally, eligible self-insured Floridians will continue to receive co-pay assistance for all drugs listed on the Florida AIDS Drug Assistance Program Self-Insured Formulary as that formulary existed on March 1.<\/p>\n
Rajner is one of 30,000 Floridians in the AIDS Drug Assistance Program who rely on it to pay for expensive HIV medication. He said it\u2019s important the legislature reverse all the cuts when lawmakers return to Tallahassee to pass a budget.<\/p>\n
\u201cPeople living with HIV and AIDS that don\u2019t have access to the medications, don\u2019t have access to doctors are going to end up in our local hospitals,\u201d Rajner said.<\/p>\n
Wood said there are no alternatives to the program.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe reality is there are no alternatives. There are patient assistance programs drug manufacturers offer, but those are temporary fixes,\u201d Wood said.<\/p>\n
State data shows there were more than 32,000 people living with HIV in 2024, and that number is going up.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe won\u2019t see any more treatment interruption. People will no longer have to ration their life saving medication. Patients will no longer have that fear and anxiety,\u201d Wood said.<\/p>\n
Monthly reporting required<\/p>\n
Beginning April 1, the Department of Health must submit monthly reports providing a detailed accounting of the ADAP. The reports must include all state and federal revenues and expenditures, all manufacturer rebates and other pharmaceutical offsets received or accrued, the total number of individuals participating in the program, participant counts by county of residence or administering organization, participants\u2019 insurance statuses, and the number and type of prescriptions filled.<\/p>\n
The department must also include in its reports month-over-month and year-to-date trend analyses and identify any projected funding shortfalls, enrollment pressures or operational risks anticipated within the current fiscal year. Reports must be submitted in a consistent format to allow comparison across reporting periods.<\/p>\n
The first report is due next week.<\/p>\n
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