Lawmakers Push Back After Judge Clears the Way for Changes to the Florida's AIDS Drug Assistance Program

Florida Patients and Doctors Scramble As Proposed AIDS Drug Program Cuts Threaten Care And Public Health

Proposed budget cuts by the Florida Department of Health threaten the state's AIDS Drug Assistance Program, which helps low-income residents access vital HIV medications and insurance coverage. Tightened eligibility requirements and restricted drug options could leave thousands without lifesaving treatment, likely increasing transmission rates and public health costs. Advocacy groups have filed lawsuits to block these changes while the legislatu…

Lawmakers push back after judge clears the way for changes to the Florida's AIDS Drug Assistance Program

Advocates, nurses, and lawmakers in Florida pushed back at the State Capitol after a judge cleared the way for changes to the state's AIDS Drug Assistance Program.WATCH FULL REPORT BELOW: Lawmakers push back after judge has cleared the way for changes to the state's AIDS Drug Assistance ProgramA state administrative law judge lifted a temporary pause that would have stopped the Florida Department of Health from changing the AIDS Drug Assistance …

New emergency rules finish an administrative challenge to AIDS drug program cuts

Attorneys Eduardo Lombard and Louise Wilhite-St Laurent—representing the DOH and the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, respectively—square off in a Tallahassee administrative court. Feb. 25, 2026 (Photo: Christine Sexton/Florida Phoenix)The DeSantis administration has filed an emergency rule that restricts eligibility for an AIDS drug assistance program beginning March 1, effectively bringing an end to an administrative challenge filed by a leading AI…

Florida uses emergency rule to cut patients off AIDS medication

The state filed the changes the day before a legal hearing with the AIDS Healthcare Foundation.

AHF • Press Telecon @ 12:15 pm ET: FL Health Dept. Signs Death Warrant for 16,000 AIDS Drug Recipients

Florida’s Department of Health DOH last night resorted to procedural trickery adopting a new emergency rule to cut off funding and access to lifesaving HIV medications for thousands of Floridians on March 1   TALLAHASSEE, FL (February 25, 2026) – The Florida Department of Health has invoked emergency powers designed to protect public health in order to cut 16,000 Floridians off their HIV medications.   On the eve of a court hearing challenging i…