- PrEP stands for pre-exposure prophylaxis. PrEP is a preventive medication taken by HIV-negative people to remain HIV-negative.
- If you are looking for post-exposure preventive medication for HIV, learn more about PEP here.
If you don’t have HIV, PrEP could be for you. It helps HIV-negative people at every age stay negative, and can be an especially helpful tool for:
- People who have sex with more than one partner and may not know their partners’ HIV status.
- Anyone in a sexual relationship with someone who is HIV-positive and has an unknown or detectable viral load.
- People who inject drugs, especially if they share needles, syringes, and/or other drug injection equipment.
- People who have been prescribed PEP, including people who have been prescribed PEP multiple times—learn more about PEP.
- If you need help paying for PrEP, the PrEP Drug Assistance Program (PrEPDAP) may be able to help.
To be eligible for PrEPDAP, you must be a Massachusetts resident, be HIV-negative, and have a gross annual income from all sources of no more than 500% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL), or $78,250 as of January 2025. For each legal dependent, $5,850 is added to the limit.
PrEPDAP requires MA residency.
- PrEPDAP covers out-of-pocket costs for PrEP medications, such as Truvada (branded and generic), Descovy and Apretude. including copays, co-insurance, and deductibles. Please contact the PrEPDAP team for assistance with Yeztugo coverage.
- If necessary, PrEPDAP can also temporarily cover the full cost of PrEP medications for those who lack health insurance or have confidentiality/safety concerns about using their health insurance.
- PrEPDAP does not cover medical visit co-pays or lab costs.
- PrEPDAP does not cover medications taken as part of antiretroviral therapy for people living with HIV (people living with HIV are eligible for HDAP coverage).
PrEPDAP cannot make payments directly to a client. PrEPDAP can only make payments to a pharmacy.
- A complete and signed PrEPDAP application.
- Documentation including proof of Massachusetts residency, proof of your current income from all sources, and a copy of your health insurance card(s) (if applicable).
- To send applications or supporting documentation via email, please send through our secure email portal.
- You may also contact our team using the PrEPDAP email address prepdap@crihealth.org or securely fax your application to 617-502-1701.
- Your application will be seen only by members of the PrEPDAP team if you use the above secure email address and fax number. The PrEPDAP team will respond to all emails and faxes by using the secure email portal.
- Utility bill
- Paystub/earnings statement
- Lease
- Current driver’s license/Massachusetts Identification Card
- PrEPDAP-provided document or PrEP Navigator or case worker email stating where the applicant or client resides.
- Two recent employee paystubs
- Most recent year’s tax return
- PrEPDAP-provided document or PrEP Navigator or case worker email stating the applicant or client’s income or no income.
Completed PrEPDAP applications are processed within 24-48 hours of receipt and depending on the application’s arrival time. Applications submitted after-hours, over the weekend, and during holidays may take longer.
You must specify a pharmacy on your application and contact PrEPDAP if you wish to change your pharmacy. If the pharmacy listed is not one within our network, PrEPDAP will contact you and provide a list of alternative pharmacies that are part of our network of pharmacies.
- PrEPDAP is available at a limited network of participating pharmacies, which includes all Walgreens pharmacies in Massachusetts.
- You may contact PrEPDAP for a list of participating pharmacies based on your preferred location.
- PrEPDAP coverage is for a twelve-month term if all required documents are submitted with the application and the client is insured.
- Lesser coverage (30 days) may be approved if all required documents are not included when the application is submitted. It is sometimes possible for PrEPDAP to give provisional approval for one or two months while waiting for required documents such as pay stubs.
- Clients requesting full pay coverage due to confidentiality concerns are approved for 30 days and must request confidentiality each month to verify that their situation has not changed.
- Full-cost coverage of generic emtricitabine/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (generic Truvada) is for 12 months.
- Full-cost coverage of non-generic PrEP options Descovy, Truvada, or Apretude is limited to one month.
- The client will be covered by PrEPDAP through any change or loss of insurance.
- Please contact our PrEP Insurance Navigator for assistance.
- Insurance is not required to apply for PrEPDAP coverage.
Call our team at 617-502-1700 and select Option 4. Any member of the team may answer your call and may refer you to the team member best suited to answer your question.