03/22/2026
In the news:
OLYMPIA — Bipartisan legislation mandating all Washington health plans issued or renewed on or after Jan. 1, 2027, cover all HIV antiviral drugs without prior authorization or step therapy was signed into law.
Dr. Peter Shalit, a Seattle-based physician who has been treating people with HIV since the 1990s, said the new law will ensure his patients can get the care they need without pushback from insurance companies.
“HIV care is not a ‘one-size-fits-all’ process. Some strains of the virus are not susceptible to certain antivirals, limiting treatment options. Side effects and interactions with other medications may also limit which HIV medications are appropriate for a given person,” Shalit said. “It has been frustrating and demoralizing for me to have to spend hours fighting with insurance companies to get the most appropriate HIV medicines approved for my patients. Senate Bill 6183 will guarantee that my patients are able to receive the most appropriate combination of HIV medicines for their particular situation, without my having to do battle on their behalf.”
Full press release: https://senatedemocrats.wa.gov/liias/2026/03/19/liias-bill-expanding-access-to-hiv-medications-signed-into-law/.
OLYMPIA — Bipartisan legislation mandating all Washington health plans issued or renewed on or after Jan. 1, 2027, cover all HIV antiviral drugs without prior authorization or step therapy was signed into law. The bill, sponsored by Sen. Marko Liias (D-Edmonds), builds on the state’s efforts to ...
