GMHC has launched a new online tool to help educate and advocate for its New York State legislative priorities. These priorities focus on ensuring access to HIV treatment, prevention, and education.
“We are continuing the agency’s long tradition of breaking down barriers to HIV prevention and treatment—and making sure that people living with HIV aren’t discriminated against because of their status,” said Vice President of Policy and External Affairs Jason Cianciotto. GMHC’s policy priorities are often informed by solving problems faced by people in our communities, he added.
One key bill for the agency this legislative session would prevent insurers from discriminating against people solely because they are living with HIV or taking PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis). GMHC saw the need for the legislation after staff members living with HIV were denied supplemental life and disability coverage, Cianciotto said. “It didn’t matter to the insurer that they were virally suppressed, or that medical advances mean people diagnosed with HIV can live long and healthy lives.”
GMHC modeled the bill, sponsored by New York Senator Neil Breslin (S8144A) and Assemblymember David Weprin (A8834), on a pioneering 2020 California law, the Equal Insurance HIV Act.
PrEP Access
It’s been nearly 12 years since the US Food and Drug Administration approved PrEP for HIV prevention. However, the medication is still “primarily used by white men who have sex with men (MSM) with health insurance—not lower-income MSM of color,” Cianciotto said.
Lack of insurance coverage is a major barrier to PrEP uptake for many clients. GMHC is backing a bill that would prevent insurers from requiring prior authorization for PrEP. The bill is S3227/A6059, sponsored by Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal and Assemblymember Tony Simone.
To broaden PrEP and PEP (post-exposure prophylaxis) access, GMHC is backing a bill that authorizes pharmacists to dispense a limited supply of the medications without a prescription. Uninsured and underinsured people are at higher risk for contracting HIV—and they may not have a doctor to prescribe PrEP, Cianciotto explained. “This bill allows someone to talk to their neighborhood pharmacist and receive an initial supply of PrEP, then get linked to longer-term PrEP care for sustained usage.”
The bill would expand how GMHC’s on-site pharmacist can dispense PrEP while the agency’s case managers help clients find a suitable PrEP doctor. “A lot of clients come to us because they feel safe and comfortable at GMHC, and because we provide so many co-located services,” Cianciotto said. The bill is S3297/A5995, sponsored by Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal and Assemblymember Didi Barrett.
HIV and STI Prevention for Youth
GMHC is backing two bills that promote HIV and STI prevention for youth. The Comprehensive Sexuality Education bill (A4604), sponsored by Assemblymember Jessica González-Rojas, would ensure that New York has a statewide, comprehensive, and age-appropriate sex education curriculum that provides instruction on preventing sexually transmitted infections. Right now, Cianciotto said, the only statewide sex ed requirement is for HIV education—but it includes a provision allowing parents to withdraw their children from practical instruction on HIV prevention.
A related bill on STI treatment for minors would allow youth under age 18 to obtain testing and treatment for HIV and other STIs without consent from a parent or guardian. Right now, parental or guardian consent is required, which “can be very dangerous and problematic,” Cianciotto said. The bill is S762A/A276A, sponsored by Senator Liz Krueger and Assemblymember Amy Paulin.
Click here for a guide to GMHC’s New York State legislative priorities.
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