By Katie Thomas
The health insurer Cigna has agreed to reduce the out-of-pocket costs that patients in Florida must pay for H.I.V. drugs as a result of a complaint filed by advocacy groups, who said the drug pricing system in the state’s health care plans was discriminatory.
The groups indicated Florida could serve as a test case for what they contend is discriminatory pricing by other insurers around the country.
Under the settlement with Florida’s Office of Insurance Regulation, the details of which were released on Friday, Cigna will place a $200 per month limit on the amount that patients have to pay for some commonly prescribed drugs like Atripla, and make other changes to make the drugs less costly and easier to get. The changes apply only to people who enroll in the company’s plans through the new health insurance exchanges, and will take effect for 2015 plans. Enrollment in those plans begins Nov. 15.
