The cost of HIV drugs for Medicare is projected to skyrocket by 2035
A new study projects that Medicare costs for HIV antiretroviral therapy will nearly triple by 2035 as the population of people living with HIV ages. The increase is driven by longer life expectancies and rising healthcare inflation.
Why it matters
The rising cost of life-saving medication poses a significant financial challenge for federal health insurance programs and long-term healthcare policy in the US.
As more people with HIV reach retirement age, the annual cost of antiretroviral therapy (ART) for Medicare for people 65 or older is projected to nearly triple over the next decade, from $6.4 billion in 2026 to $17.8 billion by 2035.
Medicare is the federal health insurance program for older Americans and people with disabilities. The analysis , published in JAMA Network Open, projects that 63% of the cumulative cost to Medicare for older beneficiaries living with HIV will be to pay for ART, which is the lifelong treatment that suppresses the virus to non-detectable levels. Without these antiviral medications, HIV goes from a chronic to a fatal condition.
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