Florida Restores HIV Drug Aid for Thousands, Including Treasure Coast Residents

Thousands of Floridians living with HIV and AIDS — including residents of Martin, St. Lucie, and Indian River counties — may soon regain access to the prescription drug benefits they rely on after the state moved Wednesday to begin reversing steep cuts to the AIDS Drug Assistance Program.

The Florida Department of Health announced in a Leon County circuit court hearing that it had already begun preparing an emergency rule to restore income eligibility for the AIDS Drug Assistance Program, known as ADAP, to 400 percent of the federal poverty level — equivalent to $62,600 annually for an individual. The department had previously slashed that threshold to 100 percent of the poverty level and restricted the list of covered medications to address a $120 million budget shortfall in the program. The National Alliance of State and Territorial AIDS Directors estimates about 16,000 Florida residents who depend on ADAP would have been harmed by those cuts.

DOH outside attorney Eduardo Lombard told Leon County Circuit Court Judge Jonathan Sjostrom that the department "anticipates" HB 697 — which passed the Florida Senate Tuesday night — will become law and that staff were already working to be "prepared upon that bill becoming law" to publish a new emergency rule. Sjostrom agreed to reschedule a related injunction hearing for March 20 if needed, given the fluid timeline before Friday's end of the 60-day Legislative Session.

The bill, if signed, would restore eligibility through June 30 and require the DOH to distribute medications directly to enrollees. However, the March 1 formulary it authorizes does not include Biktarvy, a daily antiretroviral pill used by some patients. HB 697 would also require DOH to submit monthly budget reports to the Legislature — a transparency measure responding to criticism that the department had concealed the $120 million deficit from lawmakers.

House Speaker Daniel Perez cautioned Tuesday night that he had not yet reviewed all details of the bill and made no commitment to bring it to a floor vote, introducing uncertainty into the timeline.

Treasure Coast residents enrolled in ADAP or those who believe they may qualify should contact the St. Lucie County Health Department or the Florida Department of Health offices in Martin or Indian River counties to determine how any rule changes may affect their current prescriptions and coverage status.

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