TALLAHASSEE, FL (December 17, 2014) – For the third time in the past month the AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) applauds Florida Insurance Commissioner Kevin M. McCarty for yet another agreement with a major health insurer to reduce drug pricing for costly HIV/AIDS medications. Following drug formulary changes by Coventry Healthcare of Florida and Cigna, Humana Medical Plan (Humana) will now take steps to ensure that its Florida members living with HIV/AIDS will have more affordable access to the lifesaving medications they need as provided through Chapter 627.429, Florida Statutes.
In response to a federal complaint filed in May by two civil rights groups, the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation moved to address allegations that some health insurers—including Humana Medical Plan of Florida—may have been illegally placing all HIV/AIDS medications in the highest tier of their drug formulary, requiring prior authorizations to fill prescriptions and implementing unnecessary and discriminatory step protocols.
“AIDS Healthcare Foundation again thanks Commissioner McCarty for his decisive actions to improve access to essential medications needed by people living with HIV in Florida, especially during a time when consumers are confronted with a significantly shifting and confusing payer landscape,” said Michael Kahane, Southern Bureau Chief for AHF.
“We look forward to continuing to work with the insurance industry and Commissioner McCarty and his staff to ensure policy decisions will not impede successful care and treatment for persons living with HIV disease in Florida,” said David Poole, Director of Legislative Affairs for AHF’s Southern Bureau. “As increasing numbers of HIV patients migrate from traditional Ryan White payer systems to plans made possible through the Affordable Care Act, our community of HIV patients, providers and other stakeholders need to remain ever-vigilant against any policies or procedures that may create barriers to care and treatment.”
