Can we all agree that the year 2020 has been quite a whirlwind for everyone? Sheesh! Many people have been affected directly or indirectly by COVID-19. Unfortunately, this includes unemployment, leading to high rates for Cobra insurance plans, or becoming uninsured. You’ll be happy to know that if you’re a PrEP user who may have recently lost your insurance coverage, there are options available to you.

PAPI

If you’re an HIV-negative resident of Ohio making up to $62,450 annually, you may qualify for a PrEP payment assistance program through the Ohio Department of Health. PAPI assists with paying for PrEP-related fees such as lab fees, insurance premiums, and medical costs. PrEP Navigators spread throughout different regions in Ohio are happy and prepared to assist you with enrollment.

If PAPI is the program for you, you can enroll by going to https://ohiv.org. You can also talk to someone about enrolling in PAPI or taking PrEP by calling the Ohio HIV/STI Hotline at 1-800-332-2437.

Gilead Payment Assistance Program

The Advancing Access patient assistance program assists PrEP users with their medication co-pays and fees. Gilead is the pharmaceutical company responsible for making Truvada and Descovy. The assistance program assists with costs related to both of their PrEP products. The co-pay card is also available for users who are insured to help with Rx costs.

You can enroll by calling 1-800-226-2056, Monday–Friday, 9 a.m.–8 p.m. ET, printing the advancing access enrollment form and faxing it to 1-800-216-6857, or by talking with your PrEP navigator, and they can help you.

Teva Pharmaceuticals

Teva is the company that recently released the generic version of Truvada, in September 2020. The generic Truvada is called Emtricitabine and Tenofovir Disoproxil Fumarate. For those who are looking for Rx assistance while using generic, there is a savings card that can be downloaded from the Teva site. With the savings card, users can pay as little as $0.

Medicaid

If eligible, Medicaid covers all PrEP costs. Medicaid is a US federal and state program that assists with medical expenses for people with limited income and resources. If you’re approved for Medicaid benefits, you can begin receiving PrEP care and your medication at low to zero costs.

For more information on Medicaid, check out our blog.

If you’ve lost your health insurance, it is not the end of the line for PrEP. Please reach out to any of the above resources or PrEP Navigators for further assistance. HIV prevention is an important and healthy choice. Let’s explore the best option for you to get started with PrEP!

Have more PrEP questions?

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