Opioid Safety and Supply Network Buyer’s Club, which buys naloxone from Pfizer at a reduced price, says the unprecedented scarcity is expected to have deadly consequences.
Ted Howard started taking Truvada a few years ago because he wanted to protect himself against HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. But the daily pill was so pricey he was seriously thinking about giving it up.
Under his insurance plan, the former flight attendant and customer service instructor owed $500 in copayments every month for the drug and an additional $250 every three months for lab work and clinic visits.
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Luckily for Howard, his doctor at Las Vegas Huntridge Family Clinic, which specializes in LGBTQ care, enrolled him in a clinical trial that covered his medication and other costs in full.
Many Health Plans Must Cover Full Cost of HIV Prevention Drugs medscape.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from medscape.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Rule changes make HIV prevention drugs more accessible
Federal and California rules require most private insurance to cover the full cost of drugs, such as Truvada, that offer protection against HIV infection.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
By Michelle Andrews
Ted Howard started taking Truvada a few years ago because he wanted to protect himself against HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. But the daily pill was so pricey he was seriously thinking about giving it up.
Under his insurance plan, the former flight attendant and customer service instructor was charged $500 a month in copayments for the drug plus $250 every three months for lab work and clinic visits.