There’s good news for PrEP users as the federal government has created guidelines to make it easier for Americans to get their hands on the PrEP treatment. But there’s a catch. The new policy mandates insurance companies to cover all the costs for treatment for PrEP users.
The coverage includes medications, doctor’s visits, and lab tests. The provision makes it easier for those with health insurance to get PrEP drugs. But for those without one, they will have to foot the bill themselves, and it isn’t easy to do as PrEP drugs are pretty expensive.
According to James Krellenstein, a member of the advocacy group PrEP4All, the new guideline is a win because many health insurances did not cover PrEP drugs, laboratory, and clinic visits. So several people get stuck having to pay for all three. Krellenstein made this known while speaking with NPR.
The PrEP4All member said users have to go to a doctor four times a year, as per CDC guidelines, costing several hundreds of dollars. It also didn’t help that PrEP drugs like Truvada — before becoming generic — cost as much as $1,800 a month. Despite this win, Krellenstein stated that the next challenge is for the CDC and the Department of Health and Human Services to find ways for people without health insurance to access PrEP drugs quickly like insured people.
PrEP treatment is usually taken once a day and is 99% effective in preventing HIV infections. In its nearly decade of existence, it has kept users HIV-free. But, unfortunately, PrEP drugs like Truvada have adverse side effects that significantly affect a person’s life. These side effects are the reasons for several class-action lawsuits against Big Pharma companies manufacturing the drug.
Find out all about these lawsuits and who qualifies from our mass tort attorneys.
