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Does Insurance Cover Descovy?

Many insurance providers cover PrEP (Pre-exposure Prophylaxis) medications like Descovy®. Medicare and Medicaid plans also may cover Descovy. Usually Descovy is covered for patients that have renal disease or other medical conditions that prevent them from taking Truvada either brand or generic.

How Do I Find Out if My Insurance Provider Covers Descovy?

To learn whether your insurance plan covers Descovy, contact your provider. Ask whether your plan covers PrEP treatments and what your out-of-pocket costs will be with your current plan. Find out if your provider offers copayment plans or other assistance programs that can help you reduce your out-of-pocket costs. Even if your insurance provider covers PrEP medications, you may be responsible for a copayment each time you request a Descovy prescription.

What if I Don’t Have Insurance to Cover PrEP?

If you don’t have health insurance or if your insurance provider doesn’t cover PrEP medications like Descovy, you have other options. Your Nurx™ medical provider can recommend payment assistance programs that can help cover the cost of your PrEP treatment.

Get PrEP for HIV Prevention At Home

Nurx offers PrEP for HIV prevention for as little as $0 with insurance for medication.

Gilead Sciences, the company that makes Descovy, offers payment assistance through its program Advancing Access, for those that are uninsured. You may also qualify for payment assistance from nonprofit organizations like Patient Advocate Foundation. These groups provide help for patients who can’t afford to pay for PrEP medications, especially if you don’t have insurance or if you rely on Medicare or Medicaid.

How Much Does Descovy Cost?

The cost of your PrEP medication depends on a few factors. If you have insurance that covers Descovy, Nurx will bill your provider directly. But you may still be responsible for costs like copayments.

If you qualify for payment assistance, you could pay next to nothing for your PrEP treatment. In fact, 99% of Nurx patients receive their PrEP prescription at no cost. Contact the Nurx team at [email protected] to learn more about how much your medication will cost out-of-pocket.

In addition, when you get a PrEP prescription through Nurx, you’ll be responsible for the following fees:

  • $25 medical consultation fee when you request a prescription or refill,
  • Lab testing fees, which vary depending on your insurance coverage.

How Do I Get a Prescription for Descovy?

You don’t have to find a provider or meet with a health care provider in person to get Descovy. Instead, you can get a Descovy prescription by requesting PrEP online through Nurx. Here’s how the process works:

  • Answer some simple questions about your current health status, your health history, and your sexual activity.
  • If the Nurx medical team decides you’re eligible for PrEP, our partner lab will send you an at-home testing kit.
  • Follow the instructions inside the kit to gather samples so you can be tested for HIV, hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, kidney disease and sexually transmitted diseases (STIs). Then use the enclosed package and mailing label to send your samples to our partner lab.
  • Our providers review your test results and decide whether PrEP is a good option for you.
  • If you’re a good candidate for PrEP, we’ll mail you your Descovy prescription. We send a thirty-day or three-month supply depending on your insurance requirements, and always use discreet packaging.
  • Request a prescription refill and repeat your lab tests every three months. Monitor your Descovy supply level to make sure you start the request and testing processes before you run out of medication.

How Do I Get a PrEP Lab Test?

We recommend at-home lab testing since it’s easy for you to access, simple for you to do, and discreet. We’ll send you an at-home lab test kit if our medical team decides you’re a good candidate for PrEP. Once you receive the kit, follow the enclosed instructions to collect samples for the required HIV and HBV tests and the optional STI tests. After you’ve packaged the samples, use the enclosed label to mail the kit to our partner lab, Molecular Testing Labs.

If you’d rather use your local lab, tell our medical team when you submit your PrEP request. We’ll walk you through the process of requesting the required tests and having the results sent to the right place.

You’ll need to repeat these tests every three months to continue your PrEP treatment. Regular testing confirms that you’re HIV- and HBV-negative.

Does Insurance Cover PrEP Lab Tests?

Many insurance plans cover PrEP lab tests. To find out if your plan includes this type of lab test, contact your provider directly. First, ask whether Nurx’s lab partner, Molecular Testing Labs, is considered in-network. Then ask whether your plan has a deductible for lab testing so you know what your out-of-pocket costs will be ahead of time. 

If your provider doesn’t cover Molecular Testing Labs, ask whether any other options, such as Quest and LabCorp, are in-network for your insurance plan. Make sure to ask about lab testing deductibles, too.

If you don’t have health insurance or if your plan doesn’t include lab testing, you can pay for your PrEP kit out-of-pocket. Options include:

  • $164 for the complete kit, which includes required HIV and HBV tests as well as optional STI tests
  • $94 for the basic kit, which includes required tests only

Is There a Generic Option for Descovy?

There is no Descovy generic on the market in the United States. When you get a Descovy prescription, you’ll receive the name-brand medication made by Gilead Sciences, Inc.

What Does Descovy Treat?

Descovy is a daily pill designed to treat HIV, and it’s a key part of a complete PrEP treatment. When combined with other medications, it’s up to 99% effective in preventing HIV. Your Nurx provider can prescribe Descovy in one of two ways:

  • Single Pill: You can take a single pill that contains a dose of Descovy and other medications for a complete PrEP treatment.
  • Multi-Pill: You can take a Descovy pill and other prescribed tablets for a complete PrEP treatment.

Nurx prescribes generic PrEP unless you have a medical reason why you must take Descovy.

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