Gatekept: The Prior Authorization Maze Standing Between HIV-Positive New Yorkers and the Medications They Need Now
For thousands of HIV-positive New Yorkers, the hardest part of starting treatment is not the diagnosis — it is navigating a labyrinthine insurance approval process that can delay life-saving medication by weeks. Prior authorization requirements, once a minor bureaucratic hurdle, have become a structural barrier that providers, patients, and advocates are fighting to dismantle.