Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Prep Pep Insurance topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Committee on Health advances bill to bar insurer delays and cost sharing for PrEP and PEP
Summary
Chairwoman Henderson said the committee print would prohibit prior authorizations and eliminate cost sharing for at least one regimen of PrEP or PEP, and the committee voted unanimously to advance bill 26‑159. Supporters cited historic local AIDS rates and recent drops in new cases while noting federal funding cuts to prevention programs.
Chairwoman Henderson introduced the committee print amending local law to prohibit health insurers from imposing prior authorizations or delays for pre‑ and post‑exposure prophylaxis medications, saying the change removes barriers to HIV prevention.
“For pre and post exposure prophylaxis medication, PrEP or PEP, to prevent HIV AIDS, including any required baseline assessments,” Henderson said while outlining the measure and the committee print's technical consolidations. She reviewed the district’s HIV history, noting that in 2003 the district had about 9,375 people living with AIDS and more than 7,000 AIDS‑related deaths since 1984, and that 2023 saw 192 new HIV cases — the first year below 200 since the 1990s.
The committee print narrows the original language to avoid requiring coverage of every FDA‑approved treatment and instead bars cost sharing for at least one regimen of HIV prevention. Henderson said the change follows testimony from the Department of Insurance, Securities and Banking (DISB) that major district carriers already cover PrEP and PEP; the print also consolidates definitions into the Prohibition of Discrimination and Provision of Insurance Act of 1986 and establishes a DC Health and Wellness Center Fund to route payments to DC Health’s wellness center.
Councilmember Parker said he supported the mark‑up and warned that federal funding cuts threaten local prevention efforts: “I am super proud and thrilled that we're marking up this bill originally introduced as the PrepDC Act of 2025,” Parker said, adding that recent federal actions have reduced resources for HIV and STI prevention.
Henderson moved the draft report and print for bill 26‑159 en bloc with leave for staff to make technical changes; the committee voted 'aye' and the record shows the bill passed unanimously.
The bill now awaits further action by the Council and referral to the Committee on Business and Economic Development as part of the local legislative process.
