Johnson calls for permanent extension of enhanced premium tax credits and continued funding for the CDC’s pilot for a National PrEP Program

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 1, 2025 (New York, NY) – This morning, as our nation grapples with the costs of yet another federal government shutdown, PrEP4All’s Executive Director Jeremiah Johnson released the following statement:

“PrEP4All stands with the far too many Americans impacted by the Republican majority’s refusal to fund lifesaving health care programs, including HIV-prevention, treatment, and research. Congress must fully fund HIV services including access to PrEP and swiftly fix America’s broken budgeting process.  

“We urge Congressional leaders to pass a budget that funds ongoing HIV prevention efforts and healthcare for millions of Americans. The gamesmanship of Republicans and the Administration will lead to very real consequences for all Americans, including tens of thousands of new HIV infections and billions in increased healthcare spending due to reductions in PrEP access, testing, and other critical HIV prevention services.

“We support a permanent extension of enhanced premium tax credits to ensure Americans have access to affordable health care (which also supports testing and HIV prevention measures like Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis or PrEP) and we must ensure that funding passed by the full Congress cannot then be rescinded in partisan votes. Republicans and the Administration must stick to the agreements they make– enough trust has already been lost from broken promises. 

“Budget cuts to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Medicaid will severely hinder access to PrEP and HIV testing and further prevent us from ending the HIV epidemic. Even with a slight reduction in PrEP access, we will see a tremendous rise in new HIV diagnoses and healthcare costs. CDC is also a major source of funding for HIV testing for health departments and community-based organizations. If CDC funding is cut, it will negatively impact timely diagnosis and treatment, which are key to reducing new HIV transmissions. Our communities know too well the heartbreak of having to see the suffering and death of someone diagnosed too late; we cannot return to those times.

“With innovative new PrEP options, including a newly available six-month injectable choice, we must continue our progress toward a national PrEP program that would meaningfully scale comprehensive prevention across the nation. PrEP4All strongly supports continued CDC funding for PrEP pilot programs in key jurisdictions–Houston, Baltimore, South Carolina, Florida, and Oklahoma. These first of its kind pilot programs address coverage barriers for labs and medication for uninsured and underinsured PrEP users. Funding cuts to CDC will create significant barriers to PrEP access for PrEP users in these jurisdictions.   

“We have made tremendous strides in PrEP uptake largely due to increased funding from CDC. Coverage barriers are still a major hurdle for many current and potential PrEP users, especially Black and Latinx individuals who have largely not benefitted from PrEP at the rates of white PrEP users. Cutting funding for programs that address barriers for marginalized communities will only expand PrEP uptake disparities and increase rates of new HIV acquisitions. 

“PrEP4All calls on our leaders in Congress to pass a budget that allows for ongoing funding for HIV prevention programs at the CDC, including continued funding for PrEP pilot jurisdictions, HIV testing and linkage, and ongoing EHE activities to prevent drastic increases in new HIV diagnoses. The FY26 budget must provide a clear pathway for healthcare access for Americans, including those living with and vulnerable to HIV.”

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About PrEP4All: PrEP4All is fighting to put lifesaving medication into the hands of everyone who needs it. Everyone, everywhere should be able to access HIV prevention and treatment regardless of their race, gender, socioeconomic status, or geographic location. Universal access to HIV PrEP and treatment can help us end the HIV epidemic. prep4all.org

Media contact: Michael Chancley, [email protected]