Stop Florida from Ending HIV Care for 10,000 Residents

Florida is on the verge of signing a compromise bill that restores funding for the AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP) but introduces a dangerous hard cap of 21,000 patients. This limit represents a reduction from the current 30,000+ Floridians relying on life-saving HIV medication. Under this proposal, nearly 10,000 people will be immediately cut off from treatment starting July 1, 2026, regardless of medical need. Additionally, the bill eliminates insurance premium assistance, meaning even those who remain on the program may not be able to afford the health insurance required to access their prescriptions.

This cap violates public health principles and threatens to reverse years of progress in ending the HIV epidemic. When patients lose access to antiretroviral therapy, viral loads rebound, leading to increased HIV transmission rates and higher hospitalization costs. By capping eligibility at an arbitrary number rather than based on medical necessity, the state is effectively prioritizing budget cuts over human lives, creating a “public health crisis” that will disproportionately impact marginalized communities already facing barriers to care.

The bill is currently sitting on Governor Ron DeSantis’s desk awaiting signature. Florida must not set a precedent where life-saving healthcare is rationed by a quota. The patient cap must be removed and and financial support restored before the deadline passes. Demand that the Governor sign a version of the bill that ensures full access to HIV care for all Floridians who need it.

Content for this call topic kindly provided by The Florida Harm Reduction Collective and Yaya Por Vida.