Overview
- Gov. Ron DeSantis signed HB 697 on Tuesday, sending $31 million to ADAP, restoring eligibility up to 400% of the federal poverty level, and covering more than 11,000 people through June 30.
- The law requires the health department to dispense drugs directly to clients, stops state premium-assistance payments, and limits coverage to the March 1 formulary that excludes Biktarvy.
- A Leon County judge denied the AIDS Healthcare Foundation’s emergency injunction, citing a low likelihood of success, deference to the state’s emergency declaration, and questions over the proper venue for rule challenges.
- The Department of Health must begin monthly public reports on ADAP by April 1, detailing revenue from federal grants and manufacturer rebates, enrollment by county, drug use, and any projected shortfalls.
- Advocates and a bipartisan group of lawmakers pressed for the stopgap after March 1 cuts removed thousands from aid, yet many clients now face drug switches without Biktarvy as longer-term solvency still depends on flat federal Ryan White funding and state rebate revenue.