Governor Ron DeSantis signed emergency legislation restoring access to life-saving HIV medications for more than 12,000 Floridians who lost coverage when the Florida Department of Health cut the state’s AIDS Drug Assistance Program on March 1. The bipartisan legislation appropriates $30.9 million in emergency bridge funding through June 30, 2026, and restores Florida’s AIDS Drug Assistance Program’s income eligibility to 400 percent of the Federal Poverty Level. The bill passed both chambers of the Florida Legislature unanimously.
“For ten weeks, 12,000 Floridians living with HIV did not know if they could fill their next prescription. Today, they can,” said Esteban Wood, Director of Advocacy and Legislative Affairs at AIDS Healthcare Foundation. The emergency appropriation restores eligibility to 400 percent of the Federal Poverty Level and provides $30.9 million to fund the program through June 30, 2026. Medications will be provided through direct distribution to eligible individuals.
The Florida Department of Health had reduced ADAP income eligibility from 400 percent to 130 percent of the Federal Poverty Level on March 1, eliminated health insurance premium assistance, and removed Biktarvy from the program’s formulary. Biktarvy is the most widely prescribed HIV medication in the country. The cuts left thousands of Floridians living with HIV and AIDS scrambling to find affordable care during the ten-week period before the emergency legislation was enacted.
“Twelve thousand people can breathe a little easier tonight,” said Wood. The legislation also imposes new financial reporting requirements on the Department of Health, requiring monthly reports beginning April 1. These reports must be submitted to the Governor’s Office of Policy and Budget, the Senate Appropriations Committee, and the House Budget Committee, detailing all federal revenues and expenditures including manufacturer rebates, enrollment figures by county and insurance status, prescription utilization by drug class, and any projected funding shortfalls.
This marks the first time the Legislature has required this level of financial transparency from the AIDS Drug Assistance Program. The new reporting requirements represent a significant oversight measure designed to prevent future funding disruptions. The monthly reports will provide detailed tracking of program finances and utilization patterns across Florida’s counties.
The bridge funding and eligibility restoration expire on June 30, 2026, making this a temporary solution while lawmakers work on long-term funding. The long-term structure of ADAP will be determined by the FY 2026-27 state budget process. AIDS Healthcare Foundation indicated it looks forward to working with the Legislature to ensure the program maintains sustainable fiscal footing for the long term.