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Florida ADAP in 2026 — what changed, what's restored

Last reviewed: September 2026

Educational information only — not medical advice. Talk to your healthcare provider about your specific situation.

In January 2026, Florida cut its HIV medication assistance program from 400% to 130% of the federal poverty level. By late March, the legislature and governor had restored it. Here's the full story — and what to do if you were dropped.

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For roughly ten weeks in early 2026, tens of thousands of Floridians living with HIV were told they no longer qualified for the state program that had been paying for their medication. Then, before summer, the same program was restored — and by the end of the fiscal year, it had been strengthened.

This page tells that story plainly. If you are living with HIV in Florida and you were dropped from ADAP, cut back to a smaller formulary, or lost premium assistance, this page explains where things actually stand as of mid-2026 — and what your next steps are.

Bottom line

As of mid-2026, Florida ADAP eligibility is back at 400% of the federal poverty level.1 If you were told in January or February that you no longer qualified, that decision may no longer apply. It is worth reapplying — call the Florida ADAP Help Desk at 1-844-381-2327.

One thing was not restored: insurance premium assistance. Florida ADAP no longer pays private insurance premiums or the premiums under the former ADAP Premium Plus Insurance Program. If you had premium help through ADAP, you'll need to seek coverage through the marketplace, Medicaid (if eligible), or manufacturer patient-assistance programs.2

A short timeline

January 2026
Florida DOH cuts ADAP eligibility
The Florida Department of Health lowers ADAP income eligibility from 400% of the federal poverty level (about $63,840 for one person) to 130% (about $20,748). The department also eliminates the ADAP Premium Plus Insurance Program, discontinues premium assistance for full major-medical coverage, removes Biktarvy from the direct-dispense formulary for uninsured clients, and adds a prior-authorization requirement to Descovy.3
February 11, 2026
DOH publishes emergency rulemaking
The department adopts emergency rules 64DER26-1, -2, and -3, formalizing the eligibility and formulary changes.3
February 26, 2026
Legal challenge filed
The AIDS Healthcare Foundation challenges the emergency rules in Leon County's Second Judicial Circuit. On March 23, the court denies an emergency injunction.3
March 24, 2026
Governor signs CS/HB 697
The Florida Legislature passes CS/HB 697, restoring the 400% FPL eligibility threshold and appropriating $30,901,993 in nonrecurring funds from the DOH Grants and Donations Trust Fund. The Governor signs it the same day; it becomes Chapter 2026-4, Laws of Florida. The ADAP provisions are effective upon becoming law and run through June 30, 2026.1
May 29, 2026
Legislature adopts FY26-27 budget
The FY2026-27 General Appropriations Act protects ADAP eligibility at 400% FPL, appropriates approximately $75 million from the Grants and Donations Trust for FY2025-26 with carry-over authority, fully restores the formulary upon signature, and directs OPPAGA to conduct a full evaluation of Florida ADAP.2

What the January cuts actually did

The January 2026 changes affected three overlapping groups of Floridians:

Eligibility cuts don't just remove people from a spreadsheet. They interrupt medication, delay refills, and — for some people — end viral suppression that had been carefully built for years.

Where things stand in mid-2026

The picture is meaningfully better than it was in February, but not identical to what it was in 2025.

If you were dropped: how to re-enroll

If you were told in January or February that you no longer qualified, or if a family income change put you back above the old 130% cap, the practical steps are short.

Florida ADAP Help Desk

Call and say you were dropped, or that you'd like to re-enroll under the restored 400% FPL threshold. They can tell you what documents you actually need.

1-844-381-2327 Florida ADAP · Prime Therapeutics direct dispense: 1-833-604-0925

Florida ADAP enrollment generally requires proof of HIV-positive status, proof of Florida residence, an insurance screening, and income documentation at or below 400% FPL. Enrollment uses the Patient Care Core Eligibility Form, a prescription for at least one antiretroviral, and insurance documentation.5

Federal policy on your side. HRSA's Policy Clarification Notice 21-02 directs Ryan White programs to use available data before asking clients for more paperwork, to consider self-attestations of "no change," and not to disenroll clients until eligibility is formally confirmed. Ask about this if you feel a re-enrollment is being made harder than it should be.6

If you can't get through by phone

Two backup paths:

The FY2026-27 budget and what to watch

The FY2026-27 General Appropriations Act, adopted May 29, 2026, is the durable version of the March fix.

National advocacy context. The Florida ADAP restoration was won by a coalition led by Florida people living with HIV and supported by national organizations including AIDS United, HealthHIV, and — through litigation — the AIDS Healthcare Foundation. The "Save HIV Funding" campaign is the ongoing shorthand for the multi-org effort to protect HIV programs at both the state and federal level.9

Related pages

References & Sources

Every fact on this page is anchored to a primary or authoritative source. Where the primary source is a state document, it is cited first.

  1. Florida Legislature — CS/HB 697, Final Bill Analysis (2026 session). Florida House staff analysis of the bill restoring ADAP eligibility to 400% FPL with a $30,901,993 nonrecurring appropriation from the DOH Grants and Donations Trust Fund. Governor approval March 24, 2026 as Chapter 2026-4, Laws of Florida.
  2. HealthHIV — Florida AIDS Drug Assistance Program advocacy summary. Authoritative advocacy summary tracking Florida ADAP through the January 2026 cuts, the March CS/HB 697 restoration, and the May 29, 2026 FY2026-27 budget action, including the $75 million appropriation, formulary restoration language, and OPPAGA review directive. Notes that insurance premium assistance was not restored.
  3. Florida Legislature — CS/HB 697 Final Bill Analysis (background section). Documents the January 2026 DOH changes: eligibility cut to 130% FPL, elimination of the ADAP Premium Plus Insurance Program, discontinuation of premium assistance for major medical coverage, removal of Biktarvy from the direct-dispense formulary, and Descovy prior authorization.
  4. Florida Legislature — CS/HB 697 Final Bill Analysis (rulemaking section). References DOH emergency rulemaking published February 11, 2026 and emergency rules 64DER26-1, -2, and -3.
  5. Florida Legislature — CS/HB 697 Final Bill Analysis (litigation section). Describes the AIDS Healthcare Foundation challenge filed February 26, 2026 and the Second Judicial Circuit's denial of the emergency injunction on March 23, 2026. Corroborated by AIDS United's March 24, 2026 statement.
  6. Florida Legislature — CS/HB 697 bill page (2026). Official bill page for CS/HB 697, showing final passage, effective dates, and Chapter number (2026-4).
  7. HealthHIV — Florida ADAP (FY2026-27 update, May 29, 2026). Documents the FY2026-27 General Appropriations Act's protection of 400% FPL eligibility, the approximately $75 million appropriation, formulary restoration upon signature, and OPPAGA review requirement.
  8. Florida Legislature — CS/HB 697 Final Bill Analysis (enrollee counts). Reports 30,408 total ADAP enrollees in 2025, 16,627 in the direct-dispense medication-only component, and 9,174 receiving insurance through ADAP Premium Plus. DOH also referenced roughly 32,000 Florida ADAP enrollees at risk.
  9. Florida Legislature — CS/HB 697 Final Bill Analysis (formulary section). Describes the removal of Biktarvy from the ADAP direct-dispense formulary for uninsured clients while retaining it on the ADAP Self-Insured Formulary.
  10. Florida Legislature — CS/HB 697 Final Bill Analysis (premium assistance section). Documents the elimination of the ADAP Premium Plus Insurance Program and its 9,174 affected clients.
  11. Florida Legislature — CS/HB 697 Final Bill Analysis (restoration section). Confirms the restoration of the 400% FPL eligibility threshold in the enrolled bill.
  12. HealthHIV — Florida ADAP (formulary update). Notes the March 1, 2026 formulary constraint under CS/HB 697 and the FY2026-27 budget's full formulary restoration provision.
  13. HealthHIV — Florida ADAP (premium assistance status). Documents that ADAP continues to assist with prescription co-payments but does not provide insurance premium assistance, while noting the prohibition on premium assistance was removed from the short-gap measure.
  14. Florida Department of Health — ADAP SAME DAY Program. State page describing the SAME DAY program, including its explicit exclusion of HIV antiretroviral and hepatitis drugs.
  15. Florida Department of Health — ADAP Enrollment. State page listing eligibility requirements, required documents, and the Patient Care Core Eligibility Form.
  16. HRSA — Policy Clarification Notice 21-02 (Determining Eligibility). Federal Ryan White policy on data-first eligibility, self-attestation, and rapid access to services including antiretrovirals.
  17. Florida Department of Health — HIV Linkage to Care. State program overview, including linkage-to-care coordinators and 13 peer navigator programs.
  18. HRSA — Find Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program Medical Care. HRSA's national locator for Ryan White-funded HIV medical providers.
  19. AIDS United — statement on the Florida ADAP emergency funding bill (March 24, 2026). Advocacy statement documenting the coalition role in the ADAP restoration, including confirmation that premium assistance was not restored in the short-gap measure.