AHF Commends Outgoing Florida Insurance Commissioner Kevin McCarty for Standing Up To Health Insurers On Behalf of HIV Patients

Largest FL HIV service provider calls on successor David Altmaier
to continue fighting discriminatory drug formulary pricing practices

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), the largest single, non-profit
provider of HIV services throughout Florida, commends Kevin McCarty
for more than 13 years of exemplary leadership as commissioner of the
Florida Office of Insurance Regulation (FOIR). McCarty, who recently
stepped down as commissioner, spearheaded regulations requiring insurers
to limit patient cost-sharing for HIV medications in their Qualified
Health Plans (QHPs). Similar to last year, state officials will continue
to review the submitted 2017 QHPs for potential discriminatory formulary
tiering related to HIV medications. Cost-sharing for HIV drugs is
expected to remain limited to $40, $70, or $150 per 30-day supply,
depending on the medication. One injectable medication will have a
co-pay limit of $200.

In a new requirement, officials will also review formulary adequacy and
adverse tiering for other chronic health conditions, including hepatitis
C, breast and prostate cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, bipolar disorder
and schizophrenia, diabetes, and multiple sclerosis. In addition, the
state will review plans for discriminatory benefit implementation and
medical management techniques.

“Working with Commissioner McCarty has greatly improved access to
lifesaving medications for people living with HIV/AIDS in Florida,” said
AHF Southern Bureau Chief Michael Kahane. “As AHF continues to
provide care to the 10,000 patients we serve in Florida and address
global issues of access and affordability of care, we applaud the
Florida Office of Insurance Regulation for continuing to recognize that
an insurer charging excessive co-insurance for certain chronic health
conditions is discriminatory and harmful. Florida’s leadership taking
proactive steps to stand up to insurers is an example for other states
to follow.”

While a review of Florida’s 2016 QHPs reveals that most insurers are now
limiting patient cost-sharing for HIV medications, the practice of some
QHPs not covering all HIV drugs available or placing all HIV
medications—including generics—in the highest formulary tier and
charging consumers 30-50% co-insurance under the Affordable Care Act
(ACA) had been previously identified as a major issue. It was also
determined that six out of the nine major insurers offering QHPs in
Florida are charging beneficiaries coinsurance as high as 20-50% for all
or almost all hepatitis B and C drugs.

“We are thankful for Commissioner McCarty’s leadership for the past 13
plus years and look to his successor, David Altmaier, to continue to
ensure that discriminatory insurance policies are prohibited and strong
state and federal patient protections are enforced,” said AHF Director
of Legislative Affairs David Poole.

According to recent statistics from the Center for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC,) Florida ranks second in the nation for new HIV
infections. AIDS Healthcare Foundation, whose southern bureau is based
in Fort Lauderdale, operates 16 clinic locations across Florida, in
addition to mobile testing units that provide on-going HIV testing in
communities throughout the state. To locate AHF Healthcare Centers,
visit www.hivcare.org

AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), the largest global AIDS
organization, currently provides medical care and/or services to over
605,000 individuals in 35 countries worldwide in the US, Africa, Latin
America/Caribbean, the Asia/Pacific Region and Eastern Europe. To learn
more about AHF, please visit our website: www.aidshealth.org,
find us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/aidshealth
and follow us on Twitter: @aidshealthcare and Instagram: @aidshealthcare

Contacts

AIDS Healthcare Foundation
Imara Canady
Regional
Director, Communications and Community Engagement, AHF Southern Bureau
+1.404.870.7789
work
+1.954.952.0258 mobile
imara.canady@aidshealth.org