Hiv And Hepatitis Policy Institute

THE HIV AND HEPATITIS POLICY INSTITUTE PROMOTES QUALITY AND AFFORDABLE HEALTHCARE FOR PEOPLE LIVING WITH OR AT RISK OF HIV, HEPATITIS, AND OTHER SERIOUS CHRONIC HEALTH CONDITIONS.

HIV: HIV+HEP CARRIED OUT ACTIVITIES THAT ADVANCE POLICIES AND PROGRAMS THAT INCREASE HIV PREVENTION AND TREATMENT, INCLUDING THE RYAN WHITE HIV/AIDS PROGRAM AND THE ACTIVITIES OF THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION HIV DIVISION. AS THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT RAMPED UP ACTIVITIES TO END HIV IN THE UNITED STATES, HIV+HEP PARTICIPATED IN ONGOING OPPORTUNITIES TO DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT THE PROGRAMS AND POLICIES TO ACHIEVE THE GOALS OF THE INITIATIVE. ONE AREA OF FOCUS WAS PRE-EXPOSURE PROPHYLAXIS (PREP), A DRUG THAT PREVENTS HIV, INCLUDING PRIVATE INSURANCE COVERAGE, ZERO PATIENT COST-SHARING OBLIGATIONS BY INSURERS, AND THE CREATION OF A NATIONAL PREP PROGRAM. WE ENGAGED WITH A MODELING FIRM TO ASCERTAIN HOW MUCH FEDERAL FUNDING WOULD BE NEEDED TO MEET THE PREP GOALS CONTAINED IN THE NATIONAL HIV STRATEGIC PLAN AND CONDUCTED PUBLIC OUTREACH OF THE RESULTS. AS A NEW FORM OF PREP WAS APPROVED BY THE FDA WE PROVIDED INPUT TO USPSTF ON ITS BENEFIT AND CLINICAL APPROPRIATENESS. HIV+HEP WORKED TO ENSURE ACCESS TO ALL ANTIRETROVIRALS TO TREAT HIV IN THE MEDICARE PART D PROGRAM AND THE PRIVATE INSURANCE MARKET. WE REVIEWED INSURANCE BENEFIT DESIGN TO ENSURE PLANS WERE COMPLIANT WITH THE ACA. AS PART OF ALL ITS WORK IT ENSURED THAT THE POLICIES AND PROGRAM BEST MEET THE NEEDS OF THOSE HIGHLY IMPACTED BY HIV INCLUDING GAY MEN, TRANSGENDER WOMEN, BLACKS AND LATINOS, DRUG USERS, AND THE POOR. HIV+HEP SPOKE AT NUMEROUS HIV MEETINGS AND WEBINARS, SUBMITTED PUBLIC COMMENTS AND TESTIMONY, ISSUED PRESS RELEASES, RESPONDED TO MEDIA INQUIRIES, AND CONDUCTED OTHER MEDIA ACTIVITIES. THIS WORK WAS CONDUCTED ON ITS OWN AND IN COALITION WITH OTHERS, INCLUDING THE WORKGROUPS OF THE FEDERAL AIDS POLICY PARTNERSHIP.

HEPATITIS: HIV+HEP CARRIED OUT ACTIVITIES THAT ADVANCE POLICIES AND PROGRAMS THAT INCREASE VIRAL HEPATITIS PREVENTION AND TREATMENT, INCLUDING THE ACTIVITIES OF THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION VIRAL HEPATITIS DIVISION. THE PRINCIPAL FOCUS OF HIV+HEP'S ACTIVITIES WAS TO ENSURE THERE ARE SUFFICIENT RESOURCES FOR STATES AND COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS TO OFFER HEPATITIS TESTING, CONDUCT SURVEILLANCE, AND LINK PEOPLE WITH HEPATITIS TO HEALTHCARE AND THE TREATMENT THEY NEED TO MAINTAIN THEIR HEALTH OR IN THE CASE OF HEPATITIS C, TO BE CURED. HIV+HEP OFFERED COMMENTS TO THE ADMINISTRATION'S PROPOSAL TO END HEPATITIS C. HIV+HEP SUBMITTED PUBLIC COMMENTS AND TESTIMONY, ISSUED PRESS RELEASES, RESPONDED TO MEDIA INQUIRIES AND CONDUCTED OTHER MEDIA ACTIVITIES. SINCE MANY PEOPLE IMPACTED BY HEPATITIS ARE INJECTED DRUGS USERS, HIV+HEP ALSO FOCUSED ON THEIR NEEDS AND OTHERS ASSOCIATED WITH THE OPIOID EPIDEMIC. THIS WORK WAS CONDUCTED ON ITS OWN AND IN COALITION WITH OTHERS, INCLUDING THE HEPATITIS APPROPRIATIONS COALITION.

GENERAL HEALTHCARE ACCESS: HIV+HEP WORKED TO ENSURE PEOPLE LIVING WITH SERIOUS AND CHRONIC HEALTH CONDITIONS HAVE ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE HEALTHCARE, INCLUDING PRESCRIPTION DRUGS. THIS INCLUDED POLICY ANALYSIS IN THE AREAS OF MEDICAID, MEDICARE, AND PRIVATE INSURANCE. HIV+HEP EDUCATED THE PATIENT COMMUNITY, THE MEDIA, AND POLICYMAKERS AT THE FEDERAL AND STATE LEVELS, ON THE IMPORTANCE OF COPAY ASSISTANCE FOR PRESCRIPTION DRUGS. WE CHALLENGED IN COURT A FEDERAL REGULATION THAT ALLOWS INSURERS TO IMPLEMENT COPAY ACCUMULATOR PROGRAMS. HIV+HEP ALSO PARTICIPATED IN THE ACTIVITIES OF THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF INSURANCE COMMISSIONERS, INCLUDING THE DEVELOPMENT OF A WHITE PAPER ON PHARMACY BENEFIT MANAGERS AND A CONSUMER REPRESENTATIVES PROJECT ON THE COVERAGE OF PREVENTIVE SERVICES. HIV+HEP SUBMITTED COMMENTS ON PROPOSED EXECUTIVE AGENCY REGULATIONS, ISSUED PRESS RELEASES AND RESPONDED TO MEDIA INQUIRIES, AND PRESENTED BEFORE PATIENT GROUPS. THIS WORK WAS PERFORMED ON ITS OWN AND IN COALITION WITH OTHER PATIENT GROUPS, INCLUDING THE PARTNERSHIP FOR PART D, MEDICARE ACCESS FOR PATIENTS RX (MAPRX), AND ALL COPAYS COUNT COALITION.