California Takes a Big Step Toward Ending HIV, SB 1023

This week, California took a big step towards making HIV prevention more accessible than ever. On August 13, the California Assembly Appropriations Committee advanced Senate Bill 1023, led by State Senator John Laird. The legislation will expand access to injectable PrEP, the most powerful tool communities have to prevent the spread of HIV. 

SB 1023 will require health plans that already cover injectable PrEP to also reimburse it through their outpatient prescription drug benefit. The legislation will break down financial barriers to care and increase the uptake of injectable PrEP across the state. 

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“California has long been a leader in HIV prevention and public health,” said State Senator John Laird. “SB 1023 helps ensure that providers and clinics can continue offering injectable PrEP to the communities that need it most by removing barriers that limit access to care.”

Advocates across the state also support the legislation as a potential catalyst for incredible advances in public health. 

“Injectable PrEP has the potential to transform HIV prevention, but only if people can actually access it,” said Tony Hoang, Executive Director of Equality California. “Right now, reimbursement barriers in some insurance plans are forcing small, community-based clinics to front the cost of this medication and wait weeks for payment, putting enormous strain on providers and threatening access for patients who rely on these clinics for care.”

For patients in or out of the state of California, PrEP is available and accessible via telehealth platforms. MISTR is a platform that takes care of everything from home testing to consultations with physicians to medication delivered right to your door. 

About MISTR

MISTR is a gay-owned and operated online platform that brings together doctors, pharmacists, and industry minds to provide resources and PrEP to folks in need. Instead of relying on insurance providers to approve the purchase of PrEP, MISTR cuts out the middleman to help people get their prescriptions covered.