How to Pay for HIV Medication With No Insurance

HIV can be an expensive infection to treat, with the charity group AVERT estimating that a single HIV medication can cost up to $1,000 to $1,500 per month. This problem is made worse by the fact that the majority of HIV treatment options involve combination therapy, requiring anywhere from two to four medications to be taken at once. For those HIV patients who don't have insurance, the expense of treatment can seem very daunting. Fortunately, seeking help in paying for needed HIV medications is relatively easy.

Instructions

• 1

  Consult your family doctor or your local health department and ask for the contact information for an AIDS Service Organization or ASO that operates in your area. If there is more than one ASO in the area in which you live, get the contact information for all of them as different organizations may have different programs available.

• 2

  Contact the AIDS Service Organization or Organizations that you were given the information for. You will be given an appointment to speak with a care coordinator, a social worker or other individual who is responsible for matching you with local and national programs to ensure that you receive the care that you need.

• 3

  Ask your care coordinator about assistance with the cost of your HIV medications. They will give you information about your state's AIDS Drug Assistance Program or ADAP, and will get your name placed on the ADAP waiting list if there is one.

• 4

  Fill out any required ADAP paperwork honestly. Depending on where you live, you may be required to supply financial information to help show a need for assistance in covering the cost of HIV medications.

• 5

  Stay in touch with your care coordinator to find out the status on your ADAP application. If available they may also be able to refer you to additional state and federal assistance programs as well as research programs and cost assistance programs that are offered by drug manufacturers.