Miami Herald Logo

Publix reverses policy denying coverage for HIV-prevention drug | Miami Herald

×
  • E-edition
  • Home
    • Site Information
    • Contact Us
    • About Us
    • Herald Store
    • RSS Feeds
    • Special Sections
    • Advertise
    • Advertise with Us
    • Media Kit
    • Mobile
    • Mobile Apps & eReaders
    • Newsletters
    • Social
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Google+
    • Instagram
    • YouTube

    • Sections
    • News
    • South Florida
    • Miami-Dade
    • Broward
    • Florida Keys
    • Florida
    • Politics
    • Weird News
    • Weather
    • National & World
    • Colombia
    • National
    • World
    • Americas
    • Cuba
    • Guantánamo
    • Haiti
    • Venezuela
    • Local Issues
    • Crime
    • Education
    • Environment
    • Health Care
    • In Depth
    • Issues & Ideas
    • Traffic
    • Sections
    • Sports
    • Blogs & Columnists
    • Pro & College
    • Miami Dolphins
    • Miami Heat
    • Miami Marlins
    • Florida Panthers
    • College Sports
    • University of Miami
    • Florida International
    • University of Florida
    • Florida State University
    • More Sports
    • High School Sports
    • Auto Racing
    • Fighting
    • Golf
    • Horse Racing
    • Outdoors
    • Soccer
    • Tennis
    • Youth Sports
    • Other Sports
    • Politics
    • Elections
    • The Florida Influencer Series
    • Sections
    • Business
    • Business Monday
    • Banking
    • International Business
    • National Business
    • Personal Finance
    • Real Estate News
    • Small Business
    • Technology
    • Tourism & Cruises
    • Workplace
    • Business Plan Challenge
    • Blogs & Columnists
    • Cindy Krischer Goodman
    • The Starting Gate
    • Work/Life Balancing Act
    • Movers
    • Sections
    • Living
    • Advice
    • Fashion
    • Food & Drink
    • Health & Fitness
    • Home & Garden
    • Pets
    • Recipes
    • Travel
    • Wine
    • Blogs & Columnists
    • Dave Barry
    • Ana Veciana-Suarez
    • Flashback Miami
    • More Living
    • LGBTQ South Florida
    • Palette Magazine
    • Indulge Magazine
    • South Florida Album
    • Broward Album
    • Sections
    • Entertainment
    • Books
    • Comics
    • Games & Puzzles
    • Horoscopes
    • Movies
    • Music & Nightlife
    • People
    • Performing Arts
    • Restaurants
    • TV
    • Visual Arts
    • Blogs & Columnists
    • Jose Lambiet
    • Lesley Abravanel
    • More Entertainment
    • Events Calendar
    • Miami.com
    • Contests & Promotions
    • Sections
    • All Opinion
    • Editorials
    • Op-Ed
    • Editorial Cartoons
    • Jim Morin
    • Letters to the Editor
    • From Our Inbox
    • Speak Up
    • Submit a Letter
    • Meet the Editorial Board
    • Influencers Opinion
    • Blogs & Columnists
    • Blog Directory
    • Columnist Directory
    • Andres Oppenheimer
    • Carl Hiaasen
    • Leonard Pitts Jr.
    • Fabiola Santiago
    • Obituaries
    • Obituaries in the News
    • Place an Obituary

    • Place an ad
    • All Classifieds
    • Announcements
    • Apartments
    • Auctions/Sales
    • Automotive
    • Commercial Real Estate
    • Employment
    • Garage Sales
    • Legals
    • Merchandise
    • Obituaries
    • Pets
    • Public Notices
    • Real Estate
    • Services
  • Public Notices
  • Cars
  • Jobs
  • Moonlighting
  • Real Estate
  • Mobile & Apps

  • el Nuevo Herald
  • Miami.com
  • Indulge

LGBTQ South Florida

Publix reverses policy denying coverage for HIV-prevention drug

By Martin Vassolo and

David J. Neal

    ORDER REPRINT →

February 06, 2018 01:46 PM

Supermarket chain Publix announced Tuesday it will include HIV prevention method PrEP in its employee healthcare plans, changing policy a day after meeting with Florida Rep. Carlos Guillermo Smith, the Legislature’s first openly gay Latino member.

A trio of Tuesday morning Tweets off Publix’s corporate account read, “Publix appreciates the concerns shared by our associates and customers. We offer generous health coverage to our eligible full-time and part-time associates at an affordable premium and are committed to the health and well-being of our associates and their families....We regularly evaluate what is covered by our health plan and have made the decision to expand our health plan’s coverage of Truvada to include Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP). We are working with our pharmacy benefits manager to implement this change as quickly as possible.”

...regularly evaluate what is covered by our health plan and have made the decision to expand our health plan’s coverage of Truvada to include Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP). We are working with our pharmacy benefits manager to implement this change as quickly as... 2/3

— Publix (@Publix) February 6, 2018

The Florida Department of Health’s website explains PrEP as “a comprehensive HIV prevention strategy that involves the daily use of antiretroviral medications to reduce the risk of HIV infection in HIV-negative individuals.” The Centers for Disease Control lauds PrEP as 92-percent effective at preventing infection among high-risk users who take the drug daily.

Sign Up and Save

Get six months of free digital access to the Miami Herald

SUBSCRIBE WITH GOOGLE

#ReadLocal

Publix said it employs 12,965 full or part-time employees in Miami-Dade, 14,086 in Broward County and 136,708 throughout Florida.

The significance in the direction shift by one of Florida’s largest employers can be demonstrated by looking at two maps: Publix’s stores and the Centers for Disease Control’s map of new HIV infection rates in 2016. According to the CDC, Florida’s 28 new HIV cases per 100,000 people in 2016 was the fourth most in the United States, behind the District of Columbia (55.6), Georgia (31.8) and Louisiana (29.7). The states where the seven-state chain has the most stores: Florida and Georgia.

“It is a positive step forward that an employer as large as Publix will now offer PrEP to its employees as part of their healthcare coverage,” said a statement by Mary Beth Maxwell, Senior Vice President for Programs, Research and Training at the Human Rights Campaign. “Publix has locations predominantly in the South, where HIV disproportionately affects the population, making this decision all the more impactful and necessary. We hope this decision by Publix will inspire other large employers to think seriously about ensuring that their health plans address all employees’ needs.”

Over the last few weeks, HRC and other groups expressed displeasure with Publix over refusing to cover PrEP. For the uninsured, a prescription for PrEP pill Truvada, which is also used to treat HIV, can cost about $13,000 a year, although that price can be lowered through payment assistance offered by the drug manufacturer. While Publix already provided coverage for Truvada, that covered the treatment of HIV — not its prevention.

“Coverage is not generally provided to diagnose a medical condition for which a member has no indications or to treat a medical condition that a member might get in the future,” the company said on Twitter last week.

Smith, who was elected in 2016 and represents Orlando, met with Publix’s government relations team Monday, taking up the issue after reading news reports of the policy.

“I wanted to hear it from them directly, it wasn’t really confirmed,” he said. “Unfortunately, yes, they confirmed that Publix is absolutely denying PrEP.”

He said the Publix team made clear the company itself, not any insurers, had decided to deny PrEP coverage, but wouldn’t say if the roots of that decision sat in cost or a moral objection.

Publix noted an absence of formal recommendation of PrEP coverage by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, although the CDC recommends it and the Task Force is currently reviewing the issue, Smith said. And despite its statement that the company doesn’t cover preventive care, Smith said they do cover birth control.

While denying coverage of PrEP is not illegal, Smith said Publix’s old policy left it vulnerable to privacy lawsuits. Under the policy, he said, employees would have to petition the company describing why the coverage was necessary.

“The reason why is none of Publix’s damn business,” he added. “It’s no one’s business except for that person, their partner and their doctor.”

Following the meeting, he said the company — which employs nearly a quarter million people — was “actively re-evaluating” its stance.

Less than 24 hours later, the policy changed.

Smith, accustomed to the slow-moving grind of Tallahassee, was surprised with the sudden reversal, heralding the announcement as a “huge victory” for the LGBTQ community. After Monday’s meeting, Smith turned to social media to gauge the interest from his followers. The reaction was overwhelming, he said.

“Speaking out actually pays dividends,” he said.

Quintara Lane was born with HIV just as medicines were being developed that would keep the deadly virus at bay. Now she teaches others about how to live with HIV.

By

BREAKING: Less than 24 hours after meeting w/me, @Publix has reversed course and is expanding their employee insurance coverage to include the HIV prevention pill, PrEP! Diplomacy LIVES! #Sayfie https://t.co/FHn3yE7HwW

— Rep. Carlos G Smith (@CarlosGSmith) February 6, 2018

David J. Neal: 305-376-3559, @DavidJNeal

Martin Vassolo: 305-376-2071, @MartinDVassolo

  Comments  

Videos

Why was ‘Juicy’ murdered? Family of transgender woman asks for help

Gianni Versace's murder shocked South Florida and the world

View More Video

Trending Stories

Military planes carrying 180 tons of aid for Venezuelans fly from Miami to Colombia

February 16, 2019 08:00 AM

Here are some of the worst mistakes immigrants make applying for legal papers

February 15, 2019 11:26 AM

Dolphins sign former second-round defensive end and a young cornerback

February 15, 2019 03:30 PM

U.S. looks to send food aid to Haiti as violence brews humanitarian crisis

February 15, 2019 06:27 PM

‘Crazy chick’ didn’t want to sit next to a toddler on a plane. Then came the outburst.

February 15, 2019 03:28 PM

Read Next

People

Indiana school board rejects changes over drag queen program

The Associated Press

    ORDER REPRINT →

February 12, 2019 05:30 PM

A southwestern Indiana school board has rejected calls for the removal of its three library board appointees following criticism of a library program in which men in drag will read to children.

KEEP READING

Sign Up and Save

#ReadLocal

Get six months of free digital access to the Miami Herald

SUBSCRIBE WITH GOOGLE

MORE LGBTQ SOUTH FLORIDA

NBA All-Star Game arrives after ‘bathroom bill’ changes

LGBTQ South Florida

NBA All-Star Game arrives after ‘bathroom bill’ changes

February 11, 2019 01:23 PM

LGBTQ South Florida

Nashville mayor signs order to help LGBT-owned businesses

February 11, 2019 11:54 AM
NY City Council speaker wants apology for homophobic remarks

LGBTQ South Florida

NY City Council speaker wants apology for homophobic remarks

February 09, 2019 10:00 PM
Abortion case shows Roberts firmly at Supreme Court’s center

News

Abortion case shows Roberts firmly at Supreme Court’s center

February 08, 2019 10:56 PM
For posting on Facebook, South Beach Realtor who extorted ‘The Jills’ sentenced to jail

Crime

For posting on Facebook, South Beach Realtor who extorted ‘The Jills’ sentenced to jail

February 07, 2019 01:01 PM
Jennifer Holliday dreaming of day when LGBTQ people have full equality

LGBTQ South Florida

Jennifer Holliday dreaming of day when LGBTQ people have full equality

February 07, 2019 07:25 PM
Take Us With You

Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand.

Icon for mobile apps

Miami Herald App

View Newsletters

Subscriptions
  • Start a Subscription
  • Customer Service
  • eEdition
  • Vacation Hold
  • Pay Your Bill
  • Rewards
Learn More
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Newsletters
  • News in Education
  • Public Insight Network
  • Reader Panel
Advertising
  • Place a Classified
  • Media Kit
  • Commercial Printing
  • Public Notices
Copyright
Commenting Policy
Privacy Policy
Terms of Service


Back to Story