Insurance companies refuse to accept homosexual HIV prevention drugs because of “engaging in high-risk homosexual acts”.
The men living in New York applied for wholesale corsets sexy TruVada’s PrEP in July. The drug is the only FDA-approved antiretroviral treatment to protect someone from HIV infection.
But a few days later, he received a letter from the joint health care company, which said: “The information sent indicates that you are using this drug for high-risk homosexual behavior.
The company claims that the health plan covers only Truvada patients with HIV or have been exposed to the virus and added that his request in the “New York State Act” is not technically necessary.
However, the letter also lists a list of United Healthcare Truvada standards, which stipulate that each drug with a wholesale cost of $ 1,450 should cover adults with a high risk of acquiring HIV 1.
HIV organizers will deny illegal acts and refer to this letter as “homosexual discrimination”.
Truvada is the product name of a PrEP (“pre-exposure prevention”) drug.
The combination of these drugs, especially the two antiretroviral drugs, tenofovir and FTC in a fixed dose is combined in a pill.
They intervene in HIV to infect new cells with enzymes that slow down the virus or completely stop it.
The drug is designed for people who have not yet touched the virus to protect themselves from viruses.
Or, people who have been exposed can take PEP (post-exposure prophylaxis) and one month’s medication starts within 72 hours of contact.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the Department of HIV / AIDS at the National Institutes of Health, said in a speech on the Internet Friday that he was very confused by the idea that insurance companies had denied certain precautionary drugs.
“It seems to be an inherent contradiction,” he said.
“PrEP is designed for people who are actually at risk of HIV infection, not those at risk.
“PrEP has proven to be a very effective way to prevent HIV infection, which is why Truvada is approved.
After receiving this letter on 11 July, anonymous patients went to the support of the HIV Action Group to appeal the decision.
He sent the document to Jeremiah Johnson of the Action Action Team (TAG), who had called the insurance company and the national health department to admit that the refusal was a violation of the guidelines.
Johnson told the Daily Mail, “at best, the insurance company to implement its own policy is absolutely powerless.” “Worst of all, it’s right to discriminate, it’s illegal.
“We are all shocked by the patient.
“The words they use are themselves contemptible terms, but when you send UHC letterheads,” you are deprived of this necessary medicine because you are gay “… we’re just scared.
“This is clearly a violation of policy, immoral, denying the disadvantaged groups is malicious.”
The patient has called for a doctor to overturn the decision and has issued PrEP.
However, the activist group has launched a petition to the New York State Department of Health to condemn the joint health care department’s refusal letter.
ACT Jean NYC’s James Krellenstein said after the letter and petition that this was not the first unfounded case.
He told the “Daily Mail Online” that we were listening to the story after the patient was rejected by Truvada, despite full compliance with the CDC, federal and state guidelines.
“Usually you can appeal to the decision and get approval, but research shows that these refuses are hindering people and lead to lower overall coverage.
The language in this letter indicates that this situation is based on patient-oriented black and white cases.
Kleinstein noted that the New York City Health Department last year issued a guideline to doctors, stressing that gay men were candidates for PrEP.
The Federal Guide to the National Institutes of Health states that the LGBT community is one of the most vulnerable groups of HIV infection and should therefore receive PrEP.
“Joint health care is endangering the health of patients because of sexual orientation,” says Kleinstein.
“Every time this happens, insurers endanger the health and well-being of the entire LGBT community.”
“We apologized for the insensitive language that appeared in the letter and regretted any difficulties it had caused,” he said in a statement: “We have corrected our letter, removed Truvada’s prior authorization request, and members Can be in their choice of online pharmacy to fill the prescription.
CDC said last year that 1.5 million Americans could benefit from taking PrEP to reduce their risk of using HIV for HIV or by intravenous drug use.
At present, the data show that only 10 million people take medicine.
Kleinstein called on insurers to contact HIV organizations to discuss coverage, standards and costs.
“We are interested in solving this problem and we are willing to work with UHC or any insurance company,” he said.
“But we will not remain silent, but at the same time endanger the health and well-being of our community.”
Johnson forced to reject PrEP people to visit the National LGBT Health Alliance, allowing patients to share stories anonymously and get support to appeal the decision if necessary.
Johnson added: “If you are deprived, do not be ashamed of yourself.
“This is a shameful drug, just like a few years ago, any person who takes shame drugs needs to be very insistent.
“Continue your appeal decision with your doctor and try to let HIV activists know that you are denied.”
Popular