HIV Prevention Bill Passes Health & Human Services Committee

On Thursday, May 28, the HIV Infection Prevention Medications Bill (HB20-1061) passed out of the Senate Health & Human Services Committee with a vote of 3-2 and will go on to the Senate Appropriations Committee. One Colorado is the state’s leading advocacy organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer  Coloradans.

“This bill passing out of committee today gives us hope that we can protect our most vulnerable, even in times of crisis. When this bill is signed into law, it will increase access to life-saving HIV prevention medications for thousands of at-risk Coloradans who face barriers to care. In the midst of a global health crisis, we are encouraged that our lawmakers have reinforced the value of increasing access to health care.” said Daniel Ramos, Executive Director, One Colorado.

Previous to the coronavirus shutdown, the bill had passed out of the Colorado House Public Health Care & Human Services Committee on January 31st with a vote of 12 to 1, with Representative Larry Liston (R-El Paso) as the single no vote, and passed out of the House Appropriations Committee on February 14th with a vote of 9 to 2 with Representative Kim Ransom (R-Lone Tree) and Representative Janice Rich (R-Mesa) being the two no votes.

“14,000 Coloradans live with HIV today. That’s 14,000 people with compromised immune systems, who have increased vulnerability to viruses like COVID-19. Both HIV and COVID-19 disproportionately impact communities of color, which is why this bill is critical to expanding access to preventative medications for those who need it most.” said Senator Dominick Moreno,.

Utilizing data gathered from One Colorado’s 2018 report on LGBTQ Health, it is clear that LGBTQ Coloradans still face barriers to accessing health care services across the state. Of survey respondents, 62 percent indicated that fear, bias, or dislike of LGBTQ folk is a barrier for them to seek care. Additionally, 42 percent of respondents worry that their provider is not supportive of LGBTQ people.

When this bill goes into law, Coloradans will be able to go directly to a pharmacy to receive either an initial treatment regimen of PrEP or a full treatment regimen of PEP after a brief consultation with a pharmacist. The legislation will allow pharmacists to dispense both PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) and PEP (post-exposure prophylaxis) without a prescription from a physician.

Pharmacists currently have the authority to dispense Plan B and naloxone without a prescription. The legislation also prohibits insurance companies from requiring patients to obtain authorization prior to using their benefits to obtain the medications and also prohibits insurers from requiring that a patient undergo step therapy.

“We are in a health crisis. It’s just common sense that we put forth every effort to pass legislation that improves the health of our fellow Coloradans. By increasing access to HIV prevention drugs, we are not only improving health outcomes but relieving the medical cost burden (nearly $380,000 per individual) associated with HIV treatments.” said Senator Kevin Priola.

More than 14,000 people were reported to be living with HIV in the state of Colorado, according to CDPHE’s 2018 report. Seventy-three percent of people living with HIV reside in the Denver metro area, which includes Adams, Arapahoe, Denver, Douglas, and Jefferson.

While the burden of HIV is heaviest in the five-county metro area, 27 percent of people living with diagnosed HIV reside outside these counties. The counties with the highest rates of HIV infection include Denver, Pueblo, Adams, Arapahoe, El Paso, Mesa, Larimer, Douglas, Jefferson, Boulder, and Weld counties. Of HIV diagnoses, 47 percent were among white, 15 percent black, and 33 percent Hispanic individuals.