Gilead Sciences has launched a Truvada co-payment assistance program to help eligible people living with HIV reduce their out-of-pocket medication expenses. The program kicks in for insurance co-payments above $50 and covers up to $200 a month for Truvada (tenofovir plus emtricitabine), as well as Viread (tenofovir) and Emtriva (emtricitabine) if they are used separately.

HIV-positive people are eligible for the new Gilead program if they have out-of-pocket costs associated with insurance co-payments for their medications and their prescriptions are not covered by Medicaid, Medicare, a state AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP) or other government-funded assistance program.

Because of its licensing agreement with Bristol-Myers Squibb, Gilead is unable to extend its co-payment assistance program to prescriptions for Atripla (efavirenz, tenofovir and emtricitabine). Additionally, Massachusetts residents are not eligible for the program.

Patients can enroll by obtaining a co-payment assistance card from their physicians or health care providers. If a health care provider does not have a card available, patients can call a toll-free number (888.358.0398) to enroll immediately and receive a card in the mail.