The Florida Office of Insurance Regulation will begin reviewing health insurance policies available to Floridians through Healthcare.gov for discriminatory practices beginning in 2016. The announcement comes after reports that three insurers deliberately charged higher prices for HIV drugs. Last year, two organizations filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights against the insurance companies over drug pricing. Some insurers placed all HIV drugs, which are more costly, on the highest formulary tier and, at times, charged patients co-insurance in excess of $1,000 a month. Other Florida insurers were found to only charge a maximum of $150 for the same medications. In response to the report, several insurers lowered drug costs. Florida insurance regulators will now deem an insurance plan as discriminatory if the plan’s HIV/AIDS medication formulary is not similar to Florida’s benchmark plan, which limits copays per 30-day supply, depending on the medication. Aimed Alliance applauds the work of insurance regulators in stopping abusive insurance practices and removing barriers to life-saving treatment for Florida’s HIV/AIDS patients. To read the full article by Health News Florida, click here.
Last Updated on May 7, 2020 by Aimed Alliance
