Joint Statement on the Proposed Changes to Connecticut’s Medicaid Protected Drug Classes
Health of Connecticuters Living with HIV/AIDS at Risk if Protected Drug Class Weakened
WASHINGTON, D.C. (April 29, 2026) – ADAP Advocacy and HealthHIV issued the following joint statement in response to the proposed changes to services for People Living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) under Medicaid as set forth in the Connecticut Governor’s Health and Human Services budget recommendations. ADAP Advocacy and HealthHIV believe that the recommendations, now included in HB 5040, Section 2, adopt a materially flawed approach for a communicable disease, like HIV, where uninterrupted access to treatment is central to individual outcomes and broader HIV prevention and care efforts.
“HIV treatment only works when it’s continuous over someone’s lifetime,” said HealthHIV’s Director of Advocacy Scott Bertani. “When policy introduces friction, the burden of staying engaged in care falls first on the patient, then shifts to care coordination. And that creates real costs for the system that aren’t typically captured in these policy changes.”
Brandon M. Macsata, CEO of ADAP Advocacy, echoed: “We’re witnessing a troubling trend that is spanning across both red and blue states, whereby state legislatures are considering precarious tactics to balance budgets, potentially at the expense of optimal HIV-related care and services. Connecticut’s HB 5040 Section is one example, and it is incumbent on advocates in the Nutmeg State to sound the alarm on behalf of the 10,738 people in Connecticut living with HIV/AIDS.”
The public comments submitted to the Connecticut General Assembly are available online at https://healthhiv.org/resource/joint-statement-ct-hb-5040/.
To learn more about this issue, please email [email protected] or [email protected].
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About ADAP Advocacy: The ADAP Advocacy mission is to promote and enhance the AIDS Drug Assistance Programs (ADAPs) and improve access to care for persons living with HIV/AIDS. ADAP Advocacy works with advocates, community members, health care providers, government officials, patients, pharmaceutical companies, and other stakeholders to raise awareness, offer patient education programs, and foster greater community collaboration.
About HealthHIV: HealthHIV is a national non-profit advancing effective prevention, care, support, and health equity in HIV, HCV, STIs, LGBTQ health, and drug user health by providing education, training, capacity building, health services research, communications, and advocacy to organizations, communities, and professionals.
About HealthHIV
HealthHIV is a national non-profit working with organizations, communities, and health care providers to advance effective prevention, care, and support for people living with, or at risk for, HIV and HCV through education and training, technical assistance and capacity building, advocacy, and health services research and evaluation. HealthHIV leads the HealthHCV initiative, the National Center for Health Care Capacity Building, and the National Coalition for LGBTQ Health. Visit HealthHIV.org for more information.
