At CAN Community Health, we believe that protecting access to PrEP (Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis) is essential to safeguarding public health, advancing equity, and ending the HIV epidemic.
The Supreme Court’s decision to review a case challenging the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) no-cost coverage of PrEP threatens to roll back decades of progress in HIV prevention and undermine access to preventive care for millions of Americans.
“Preventive care saves lives, reduces long-term costs, and fosters healthier communities,” said Rishi Patel, PharmD, MBA, President and CEO at CAN Community Health. “The stakes are too high to reverse the progress we’ve made in fighting HIV.”
PrEP has proven to be one of the most effective tools in preventing HIV—reducing the risk of infection by up to 99% when taken as prescribed. HIV affects people of all backgrounds, and women account for one in five new HIV diagnoses in the United States. Limiting PrEP coverage based on outdated assumptions harms everyone and reverses the inclusive progress made in public health.
According to the CDC, the lifetime cost of HIV treatment is $501,000 per person, while PrEP costs a fraction of that—up to $22,000 annually. A Yale School of Public Health study estimated that removing insurance coverage for PrEP could lead to over 2,000 preventable HIV infections each year, resulting in both human and economic losses.
The ACA’s preventive care mandate has safeguarded access to vital health services for 14 years, including cancer screenings, vaccinations, and prenatal care. Weakening this foundation would erode public trust and threaten equitable access to lifesaving care.
Communities of color and other vulnerable populations would be disproportionately affected if PrEP access were limited. Protecting PrEP coverage isn’t just about preventing HIV—it’s about dismantling systemic barriers and ensuring everyone has access to the care they deserve.
CAN Community Health urges policymakers, healthcare leaders, and community members to defend PrEP access and uphold the ACA’s preventive care protections. Together, we can continue building a healthier, more equitable future.