Following national outcry last week of reports that the southern grocery chain Publix did not cover PrEP for its employees, the company announced Tuesday morning on Twitter that it’s expanding its coverage to include PrEP as quickly as possible.
Publix appreciates the concerns shared by our associates and customers. We offer generous health coverage to our eligible full-time and part-time associates at an affordable premium and are committed to the health and well-being of our associates and their families. We… 1/3
— Publix (@Publix) February 6, 2018
…regularly evaluate what is covered by our health plan and have made the decision to expand our health plan’s coverage of Truvada to include Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP). We are working with our pharmacy benefits manager to implement this change as quickly as… 2/3
— Publix (@Publix) February 6, 2018
…possible. GL 3/3
— Publix (@Publix) February 6, 2018
This is a very quick change of tune. On Monday, Publix officials met with Florida state Rep. Carlos Guillermo Smith (D) and confirmed to him that they were denying PrEP coverage, but wouldn’t clarify why.
PrEP, which is short for “pre-exposure prophylaxis,” is a daily pill that reduces the risk of contracting HIV by upwards of 90 percent. It’s had a noticeable effect in helping lower HIV infection rates in big cities where it’s widely available. North Carolina, Georgia, and Florida — three states where Publix operates — ranked in the top ten states with the highest number of HIV diagnoses as of 2016.
Given Publix has over 188,000 employees across seven states, this shift could benefit many people across the South.