Gov. Ron DeSantis signed legislation providing $31 million in stopgap funding to restore cuts to Florida’s AIDS Drug Assistance Program, allowing more than 11,000 participants to access HIV medication through June 30. The bill (HB 697) provides emergency funding to mitigate cuts that took effect March 1, when thousands of Floridians were dropped from the program due to a $120 million federal funding shortfall.
“I’m grateful to the advocates and the bipartisan group of lawmakers who came together quickly to deliver this short-term fix,” said Sen. Carlos Guillermo Smith, D-Orlando. The legislation restores ADAP eligibility for participants who were cut from the program when the Department of Health lowered the income threshold from 400% of the poverty level to 130% of the poverty level.
“But let’s be clear, this is only a bridge. We need a long-term solution that guarantees consistent, uninterrupted access to treatment,” Smith added. The income threshold changes meant participants earning more than $20,345 annually were dropped from coverage, down from the previous limit of $62,600 yearly income.
The Department of Health implemented the cuts citing the $120 million shortfall caused by federal funding reductions. The cuts affected thousands of Floridians who rely on ADAP to access HIV medication, forcing them off the program that provides crucial pharmaceutical assistance for low-income residents living with HIV.
“The Legislature and the (Department of Health) must pursue every available option to keep the program solvent, including Medicaid waiver programs, alternative insurance strategies that maximize rebates, and other cost-controlling measures,” Smith said. A bipartisan group of legislators worked for weeks to develop the emergency solution after the March 1 cuts took effect.
Rep. Jennifer Kincart Johnson, R-Lakeland, sponsored the House bill alongside Sen. Alexis Calatayud, R-Miami, and other legislators who collaborated on the emergency funding measure. The $31 million appropriation will maintain program operations through June 30, the end of the current fiscal year.
The emergency legislation comes as the Florida Legislature faces budget challenges after the House and Senate ended their regular session in a stalemate over budget negotiations. Lawmakers will need to return to the Capitol to pass a comprehensive spending plan for the upcoming fiscal year.
The AIDS Drug Assistance Program serves as a critical safety net for low-income Floridians living with HIV, providing access to life-saving medications that can cost thousands of dollars monthly without insurance coverage. The program’s funding crisis highlighted the vulnerability of state health programs dependent on federal support.
Legislators must now work on a permanent funding solution before the stopgap measure expires June 30. The temporary fix provides breathing room for program participants while lawmakers develop sustainable financing strategies to prevent future coverage gaps that could endanger the health of thousands of Floridians living with HIV.