The AIDS Institute

10/27/2026

We’re proud to launch Positively Covered with the National HIV AIDS Housing Coalition , a Medicaid enrollment program for the HIV community. Starting January 1, 2027, nearly all Medicaid expansion states must implement work reporting requirements and recertify enrollees at least every six months, changes estimated to disenroll 10 million people over the next decade. In 2023, 60% of adults under 65 living with HIV in expansion states were covered by Medicaid. Positively Covered gives HIV and housing CBOs the tools, training, and monthly webinars to help clients stay enrolled.

Take our 3-minute CBO Readiness Survey: https://positivelycovered.org/survey

Join our launch webinar Nov. 10 at 2 pm ET: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/lXNSbil1RcCQ_7jL7j_WsQ #/registration

10/26/2026

🚨LAST CHANCE TO GET TICKETS!🚨

2026 Florida HIV CPR Conference
October 27-28, 2026
Hyatt Place Tampa Wesley Chapel
https://cprconference.com

Join us TOMORROW for this Annual Statewide HIV Conference bringing Community members, Providers, and Researchers together!

10/26/2026

As you shop for health plans this year, beware of the lower-priced health plans that seem too good to be true - these may very well be "junk" health plans! They look like a good health plan at first glance, but since they are not regulated or have to meet basic Affordable Care Act standards, they may leave you high and dry. Here's a quick explainer of what these plans may be: https://ow.ly/iyHr5100zkY

10/24/2026

Groceries, gas, rent, healthcare – these are the major concerns for Americans, and healthcare is at the top of the list. As premiums are set to rise again in 2027, many families are concerned about whether they’ll be able to afford their healthcare.

This data note reviews our recent polling data that finds that many Americans struggle to afford many aspects of health care, including disproportionate shares of uninsured adults, Black and Hispanic adults and those with lower incomes.

10/21/2026

2026 Florida HIV CPR Conference
October 27-28, 2026
Hyatt Place Tampa Wesley Chapel
https://cprconference.com

Get tickets now for this Annual Statewide HIV Conference bringing Community members, Providers, and Researchers together!

10/19/2026

Starting January 1, 2027, many adults enrolled in Medicaid expansion will need to meet new work reporting requirements to keep their coverage. If you’re living with HIV or hepatitis, here’s what you need to know:

✅ Meet the requirement with 80 hours/month of work, school, volunteering, or a combination, OR $580/month in household income
✅ A diagnosis alone is not an automatic exemption, but a health condition that interferes with meeting the requirement may qualify you
✅ In 2027, most states will allow self-attestation. Starting in 2028, provider documentation may be needed
✅ Eligibility will be renewed every 6 months

Exemptions also cover caregivers, people who are pregnant or postpartum, people in substance use disorder treatment, American Indian/Alaska Native/Native Hawaiian individuals, and more.

These rules do not apply in non-expansion states (AL, FL, KS, MS, SC, TN, TX, WY) or U.S. territories.

Your next step: update your contact info, check your Medicaid portal, and talk with your Medicaid or Ryan White case manager. Check your state Medicaid agency for current policy.

https://ow.ly/51Wh50ZXOat

10/16/2026

Healthcare is a top priority for Floridians, especially since 440,000 people across the state lost their health insurance this year as premiums skyrocketed. Are you thinking about your health as you head to the polls?

An Orlando woman survived after a brain tumor that grew unchecked for seven years because she couldn't get the insurance necessary to see a doctor. She now supports candidates who favor Medicare for all.

10/15/2026

Voting is one of the most important ways to make your voice heard on the issues that affect your community’s health. Election Day is November 3.

Check your registration, find your polling place, or request a mail-in ballot using the American Public Health Association’s Vote for Health resources: https://www.apha.org/what-is-public-health/vote-for-health

Take steps now to ensure you can vote and make your voice heard this November. Make sure you vote for candidates who support public health issues, and encourage others to do the same.

10/13/2026

Medicaid work requirements begin January 1, 2027. HIV can qualify someone for an exemption, but CMS’s rule adds extra hurdles that put people living with HIV at risk of losing coverage over paperwork.

Our fact sheet explains who’s affected and what to do now: https://www.theaidsinstitute.org/insurance-coverage/fact-sheet-medicaid-work-requirement-need-to-know

10/10/2026

Today is National PrEP Day. PrEP is one of our most effective tools to end the HIV epidemic, but it isn’t reaching everyone who needs it. New data from AIDSVu show PrEP use grew just 10% from 2024 to 2025, the smallest annual increase in five years. The gaps are sharpest in the South, which has the greatest unmet need for PrEP in the country, and where Black people made up just 23% of PrEP users despite accounting for 48% of new HIV diagnoses.

Cost and coverage confusion are part of the problem. Most private insurance plans are required to cover PrEP at no cost, but our report, Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis: Coverage, Compliance, and Ending the HIV Epidemic, found that 84% of 2026 marketplace plans did not clearly list all forms of PrEP at $0, and 52% did not clearly list any long-acting injectable option at $0. People shouldn’t have to guess whether their prevention is covered.

Insurers should clearly list all FDA-approved forms of PrEP at $0, and regulators should hold them to it.

Read our report: https://bit.ly/TAIPrEPReport