A Boston man claims he was slut-shamed by an insurance provider when he was denied coverage after revealing he takes Truvada as a preventative measure.
The man, who is identified only as John Doe, just filed an official complaint against Mutual of Omaha with the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination, alleging the company discriminated against for being gay.
Related: San Francisco Politician Comes Out Of The Truvada Closet To Combat PrEP Stigma
“I was shocked,” the man, speaking anonymously because his complaint contains private medical information, told the Associated Press. “I really was. I thought maybe they misunderstood me. I’m HIV-negative. I’m not HIV-positive. I was taking Truvada as a prophylactic.”
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But when he tried explaining this, the company still said no. Days later, he received a letter that said, “We do not offer coverage to anyone who takes the medication Truvada, regardless of whether it is prescribed to treat HIV infection, or is used for pre-exposure prophylaxis.”
Related: PHOTOS: Truvada Takers Given #PrEPHeroes Treatment In Edgy, Sex-Positive Campaign
“It’s really based on the stereotypes and the fears that are out there, that somehow gay male sexuality is inherently risky and unhealthy,” Bennett Klein, director of GLAD’s AIDS Law Project, told the AP. “We have a lot of bias about gay male sexuality in our society.”
Dr. Kenneth Mayer, a professor at Harvard Medical School and director of HIV Prevention Research at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, added, “The last thing we want to do is discourage people from using this preventive mediation. The goal is to eradicate the number of new HIV infections.”
“I lived through the Holocaust of people dying from AIDS,” the man said. “I was doing my little part to stop that.”
So far, Mutual of Omaha is not commenting on the matter. Jim Nolan, a company spokesman, told the AP, “We have not seen the complaint and it’s our practice not to comment on potential litigation.”
Related: Gay Men Who Take Truvada Daily Remain Free Of HIV, According To New Study
Grant Mealey
Well this is not right ð??³
Jose Longoria Jr.
#FckH8!
Merv
Did he not buy it on an HCA exchange? They are not allowed to deny coverage.
Ronnyboy
They did the right thing. Anyone on it is stating to the world their barebacking slutty ways and the insurance company has every right to put their foot down. Enough is enough people. Stop acting like sluts and expecting the world to cater to that.
Dakotahgeo
THIS story is just ONE reason I will not do business with M of O ever! They keep sending me shit in the mail for all types of services (“This is your final notice,” of course!). Shit company, shit product!
Ron Fowler
See people trying to prevent illness by using preventive measure and they get labeled and slammed….hope he wins the suit, damn insurance companies.
ingyaom
This doesn’t make any sense. Didn’t the ACA do away with denials of coverage for pre-existing conditions – which should be irrelevant in this case since “John Doe” doesn’t have a pre-existing condition. I wonder how MoO can justify this illegal action.
AlliterationAddict
Isn’t that illegal? If he actually was HIV+, it would be considered a pre-existing condition and the insurance provider would be prohibited from denying him coverage under the ACA. Since he isn’t HIV+, the choice to deny him coverage was entirely arbitrary. Is that some kind of loophole? Did we just never bother to say that you can’t deny coverage for no reason because we thought we had it covered with the pre-existing condition provisions?
1898
@Merv: Mutual of Omaha sells life insurance, not health insurance. ACA doesn’t apply.
1898
@ingyaom: @AlliterationAddict: They are a life insurance company, not a health insurance company.
Just a few days ago I was denied life insurance because I have PTSD. There is plenty of discrimination in life insurance, and as far as I know it’s legal.
1898
Queerty Editors, please clarify this article to state what kind of insurance he was applying for. Just saying “insurance” doesn’t mean anything, considering how many different kinds of insurance there are. People seem to be concluding the article is about health insurance, but as I’ve pointed out, Mutual of Omaha is not a health insurance provider. They do provide life insurance and disability insurance.
Kieru
@Merv: It does not matter if it was via the HCA or not; the Affordable Care Act makes it illegal for any insurance company to deny you coverage for any reason other than fraud. They cannot deny you based on pre-existing conditions or your existing prescriptions.
I would be very surprised if this story is true, as the letter this man claims to have received would represent physical evidence of this insurance company violating the law.
I think it’s more plausible that the insurance company refused to cover his Truvada prescription. That’s something they are legally allowed to do; especially as he is HIV- and the medication is not vital to maintaining his well-being. Truvada is also a Tier 3/4 Drug without a generic; most budget plans will not subsidize the costs of brand name pharmaceuticals.
1898
The AP article states he was applying for long-term care insurance, which is another product Mutual of Omaha sells. Again, this is not the same as health insurance and as far as I know it’s not regulated under the ACA. Long-term care insurance pays for services typically not covered by Medicare or private health insurance, e.g. assitance for people who need hands-on help with dressing, bathing, eating, toileting, continence, transferring (getting in and out of a bed or chair), and walking.
Bisexual-Transwoman
The people who take this medication are into barebacking and think it will keep them from getting HIV and other STDs. Truvada/Prep is extremely toxic and has some not so fun long term side effects, and it’s extremely expensive. Just use condoms and have safer sex. This fool was not ‘slut shamed’ he was told his insurance/medical care would not cover an expensive medication and he’s being a drama queen.
Ronnyboy
@Bisexual-Transwoman: At least someone here has some common sense and says what people need to hear. Thank you. At least some of us still have morols.
Jarrod Barrett
This could be something completely different. They article says that the company does not offer the drug to either HIV positive humans or HIV negative humans. The option to cover the drug is set up by the persons employer, not the insurance company. This person needs to contact his Human Resources department and do some checking.
Kamuriie
@Bisexual-Transwoman: You’re an idiot, and your viewpoint is based on evidence-free assumptions. And, spoiler alert, you’re not a doctor. “Extremely toxic”? You have *no earthly clue* what you’re talking about.
Bisexual-Transwoman
@Kamuriie: Yes it is extremely toxic as all HIV drugs are. They’re excellent at helping people who are HIV+ or who have been exposed to HIV but are bad for the body and internal organs.
http://www.rxlist.com/truvada-side-effects-drug-center.htm
redcarpet30
@Ronnyboy: Oh shut the hell up. When ever someone says PrEP on the internet it never fails one of you information free assholes show up to spread FUD. If you were straight you’d vote republican.
@Bisexual-Transwoman: http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/basics/prep.html PrEP is NOT the same as Truvada as treatment or as Post-Exposure therapy.
Bisexual-Transwoman
@redcarpet30: PrEP/Truvada are the same drugs.
Nobody I have met that’s on PrEP/Truvada uses condoms or practices safer sex.
The people on PrEP/Truvada think that eventually they will be on HIV meds since they’ll become HIV+, so they might as well take them now.
1898
@Bisexual-Transwoman: “he was told his insurance/medical care would not cover an expensive medication” —— he was not applying for health insurance or prescription drug coverage, so the expense of this medication would not have had anything to do with their decision.
Mack
I do believe this denying coverage based on a pre-existing condition is illegal under ObamaCare. I think this gentleman should seek an attorney and go after that insurance company. I also believe that the State of Massachusetts also has a health care law that might also forbid this.
onthemark
@Ronnyboy: “At least some of us still have morols.”
You must mean morels – a.k.a. fungi that live on bullsh!t.
Daniepwils
Look at the whole picture people. It is far cheaper to pay for Truvada as a preventative measure than to pay for someones entire HIV treatment…
Daniepwils
@Bisexual-Transwoman: Not true. I am on it. And I for one intend not to get HIV, which is why I am on PReP…I am taking it as another safe guard.
Bob LaBlah
Considering the profits being made from prevention/treatment medications it is obvious no one is going to release the actual cure, which I find it hard to believe hasn’t been discovered yet.
tardis
I wonder who the company slut is. Lol, I had to. But, yeah, serious story…
Billy Budd
I would never poison my system with dangerous drugs, when I have the option of using a simple and effective device like condoms.
Giancarlo85
@Bisexual-Transwoman: “Nobody I have met that’s on PrEP/Truvada uses condoms or practices safer sex.”
This is a major problem in the gay community right now. They think it’s a silver bullet and will protect them from. Then they fail to even use condoms. Just stupid.
redcarpet30
@Giancarlo85: So I’m to deny myself a medication that DOES prevent HIV, because some people out there may or MAY NOT be using it as an excuse to bareback?
Your logic is flawed and fuck you for trying to spread it around.
1898
@Mack: He wasn’t applying for health insurance, so ‘ObamaCare’ does not apply to his situation.
Billy Budd
I take very expensive medications. When I went to live in the US, I LIED and told them that I had no history of disease at all. I was succesful and they accepted me in the university health plan. The best thing is to LIE.
SportGuy
He does not have a pre existing condition with warrants them providing coverage for this drug. He has the option to use condoms, which does not require coverage. If he does take them to court then he will easily lose as they did nothing wrong. Use condoms and go about your business.
moldisdelicious
Dude said that he lived through the aids epidemic but yet he’s cool with barebacking on some hiv preventative medicine as if hiv is the only std out here. Embarrassing.
pjm1
As 1988 notes, the insurance at issue IS NOT health insurance — it is
long term care (LTC) insurance which pays for your in home health care of living
facility when you cannot care for your self.
Plaintiff asserts he was discriminated against based on disability (or perceived
disability) or being gay.
It is possible the insurer does not want to take the risk of providing someone
taking Travuda with LTC insurance b/c they do not know what the impact of Travuda
will be on someone’s health — which is different than discrimination based on perceived
disability or being gay. It is denial to mitigate the uncertainty for someone healthy
taking a medication.
I am sure that the legal issues are complex and am interested to see how the court
handles the matter.
Bisexual-Transwoman
@Giancarlo85: Exactly. They also seem to think that they can have bareback sex with whoever they want and they won’t get other STDs. But some of them probably already have them.
Billy Budd
Truvada Whores do exist. And they are among us.
Realityis
@Daniepwils: Actually, I am hive positive, but I only go to the doctor and have blood drawn twice a year, as opposed to 4 times a year for someone on prep. And my meds are about the same cost as Truvada alone, so I wouldn’t make a blanket statement that it is cheaper, or at least not in the present moment.
Maybe if the person discontinues taking the med, then yes, I guess it is.
Realityis
@Bob LaBlah: Totally agree. Why would anyone want to take a medication that could have major side effects.. I have those side effects and not pretty or fun…..
Billy Budd
@Realityis: You see? You see? There ARE nasty side effects from these medications.
jwtraveler
It’s clear that this article omits a lot of relevant information. But if M of O thinks someone who takes Truvada is too high a risk, I wonder if they insure smokers, drinkers, motorcyclists, fast food eaters, obese people, firearms owners, people who use cell phones when they drive, extreme sports enthusiasts and others with habits that significantly increase their risk of death, or if this treatment is reserved for gay men.
Robert Barber
Worst PIGS on Planet..insurance
Tobi
Super-Gonorrhoea
Highly drug-resistant gonorrhoea is spreading in the north of England with an outbreak centred in Leeds, sexual health doctors have told the BBC.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-34269315
pjm1
@jwtraveler: those are fair questions and
probably somewhat complex (as is the insurance world).
For purposes of life insurance, you will almost certainly NOT get coverage if you
sky diver or are involved in other extreme sports. Smokers pay different rates than
non smokers. The other categories you mention may well face different types of discrimination
(e.g., obese for LTC), but i am not certain and in fact most insurance law (non health)
is regulated by the state — so states may have different laws. It is a reason, for example,
why some car insurance companies will not offer coverage in certain states.
1898
@pjm1: Absolutely true. My insurance provider, who has covered my auto and home insurance needs for some 15 years without incident, declined to sell me life insurance when I admitted I have PTSD. I’m not suicidal, never been suicidal, never harmed myself or anyone else, but their internal guidelines prevent them from selling life insurance to folks with PTSD and the guy told me that’s true of almost every other life insurance provider. He said there are one or two that might write me a policy but I imagine it’ll cost me significantly more than what a non-PTSD person would pay.
The gentleman referenced in the article above should try to get longterm care insurance quotes from other insurance companies. It would be very interesting to see if there are other insurers who are also using Truvada as a reason to deny LTC coverage.
Michael
@Bisexual-Transwoman: Those “other STDs” don’t give a crap which hole is involved so unless you yourself use and advocate others to use condoms during oral sex just as firmly as you do for anal sex then you are just clouding the issue and being hypocritical.
I can assure you that if PrEP had been developed in 1987 it would have been heralded as nothing short of a miracle and anyone bashing its use for any reason, with or without condoms, would have been rightly laughed out of the room. Such shrill, sex-negative puritanism sounds just as idiotic today as it would have then.
svustabler
This so-called discrimination lawsuit will be dismissed forthwith on summary judgment. The type of insurance, whether it is health insurance or long-term care insurance which seems to be an debatable issue at the moment, is irrelevant. The company merely said that they did not cover the drug. There is no discrimination because the drug is not available to anyone straight or gay, including those living with HIV. It is a neutral policy. If the drug is not covered for those living with HIV, there is still no discrimination because that person’s doctor can simply prescribe another drug.
Insurance companies aren’t forced to pay for every drug that may help a condition if there are other drugs available. And as for preventive measures, insurance companies are not legally mandated to pay for those. Most do because it is cheaper to prevent a disease or condition than treat it.
pjm1
M of O said the would not provide LTC Insurance — it does not involve whether
the insurance company covers a specific drug. In fact, M of O does not provide
drug insurance. So, it is not about whether travuda is covered.
muscular
Many here advocate dropping the Truvada and insist on partners wearing condoms. If the man in the article is a bottom, he cannot be certain his tops will not bite the tip of the condom with their teeth causing a tear. Many tops intend to inseminate the bottom’s rectum with their sperm. They will agree to condoms and bite the tip off the condom to irretrievably discharge sperm into the bottom’s ass. This breeding behavior provides a means for men to physically share their identities with another in a way that is unique to gay men. Anal penetration with semen discharge is a means of how gay men shared their emotions, spirits and bodies with each other for millennia. Expecting them to cease their instinctual urges is unrealistic. Truvada offers immense safety for sexually active gay men.
Bisexual-Transwoman
@Michael: Actually yes I do use condoms and dental dams for oral sex when I give it to women and men; but I realize that not everyone does this or will do this for oral sex. Sex negativism? Even during the height of the HIV/AIDS pandemic in the 80s a lot of people, especially gay men had the mentality that “HIV won’t happen to me!” and did not use condoms and got infected or some had death wishes and got infected on purpose. It’s not being “sex negative” to point out that condoms are more effective at preventing transmission and infection of HIV and other STDs than Prep/Truvada is. Your silly revisionist history did not happen so why are you even bringing up that completely theoretical scenario at all?
Bisexual-Transwoman
@muscular: Whatever. I would not be surprised if you are HIV+ or you obsess over the silly, “my fabulous disease” blog author Mark S. King who is a crackhead and tweaker that also obsesses over bareback sex like you do.
Tobi
@muscular: “They will agree to condoms and bite the tip off the condom to irretrievably discharge sperm into the bottom’s ass.” Who are you dating? Fred Phelps?!
1898
@svustabler: You are misinformed. Mutual of Omaha does not, as I mentioned a few times before, provide prescription drug coverage. They were not denying him the drug; they were denying him a longterm care policy because he’s already ON the drug. Do yourself a favor and read the AP article linked in the Queerty article.
Michael
@Bisexual-Transwoman: It’s not being “sex negative” to point out that condoms are more effective at preventing transmission and infection of HIV and other STDs than Prep/Truvada is. Your silly revisionist history did not happen so why are you even bringing up that completely theoretical scenario at all?
You see that it was theoretical but call it revisionist history? That’s simply stupid. “If .. had been …” is called a hypothetical and is commonly used to explore “what if” scenarios.
Since you asked, I raised that hypothetical to contrast what would have happened had PrEP been available early in the epidemic with the situation we have today. If PrEP had been available early throwing around terms like “Truvada Whore” or calling someone who wanted PrEP to help protect himself a “fool” (which you did) would have been viewed as ridiculous nonsense.
But somehow with PrEP arriving only recently we have instead a very vocal crowd of generally ill-informed, snippy, judgmental know-it-alls gleefully bashing something that has been proven to be highly effective at stopping HIV infection.
Your defensive labeling of my hypothetical as “silly” only makes your proud membership in that rather repugnant group all the more clear.
And lastly, condoms are are NOT more effective than PrEP at preventing HIV infections. Many studies are still underway but here’s a practical one by Kaiser where 657 people at risk for HIV took PrEP for 2.5 years and not single person seroconverted. Many studies show that PrEP is in practice *far more* effective than condoms because there’s no heat-of-the-moment compliance problems.
If you want anything you say to be taken seriously you need to do some reading and get current. The demonstrably false claims undermine your credibility.
1898
@muscular: This is one of the more bizarre things I’ve seen posted here. Rogue homosexuals covertly biting off condom tips? This sounds like the urban legends in the ’80s of evil gays stabbing unsuspecting passersby with infected syringe needles, or putting infected syringe needles in the coin return slots of payphones. Totally made up.
muscular
@1898: I have seen it at a big city bathhouse. Most to nearly all the men bareback. Sometimes when the bottom insists the top wear a condom, the top bites open the condom package with his teeth and conveniently bites off the tip in the process. Often the bottom has had too many drinks to realize what has happened, even after the cum dump.
Bisexual-Transwoman
@Michael: Actually condoms are more effective than Truvada/prep, Truvada/prep is only 92% effective and condoms are 98-99% effective. As for the rest of your nonsense anyone with any sort of intelligence knows that bareback sex with HIV+ people even if you are on Truvada will eventually lead to the person who thinks the med will constantly work becoming HIV+.
Stache99
@Bisexual-Transwoman: All I hear is anger and judgement. This non stop trolling is bad for your mental health. Please talk to a professional.
Michael
@Bisexual-Transwoman: I supported my claim with a current, peer-reviewed medical study that took practical issues like patient compliance into account.
As I said, in practice, relying on condoms alone is not 98-99% effective. Heat of the moment slips and breakage reduce the real world effectiveness. Neither of those things apply to PrEP.
You are free to consider what I’m saying as nonsense but since you are not comparing apples to apples with your numbers (and haven’t shown their source) I think you are the one who’s ahead on the nonsense meter.
Bisexual-Transwoman
@Michael: Nope it’s not nonsense. Truvada is supposed to be take and used with condoms so there’s no actual need to take this highly expensive and toxic medication that has horrible side effects since condoms are a lot more effective at preventing HIV infection/transmission, than prep is. Also, condoms protect against other STDs which is something the barebacking truvada popping whores forget.
brucers
@Bisexual-Transwoman: Before you comment on a topic you have zero knowledge of, you should do all of the following:
1) change your name, you’ve managed to disgrace four groups of people in one very ignorant comment: the LGBTQ community, the bisexual community, the transgender community, and women everywhere. Congratulations, that takes real talent.
2) read a couple articles and peer review studies to enlighten yourself completely. I underscore the importance of completely.
3) stop assuming because you’ve very obviously made an ass out of yourself.
The man in this article should NOT be shamed by anyone. Whore or not, you nor anyone else reading this article have the facts of this man’s life. The article does not indicate the number of people he has slept with, whether or not he uses condoms, or any other “personal” fact that would allow you to come to any sort of conclusion, let alone the one you’ve come to in your head.
Let’s also remember that you’re not the judge and most certainly not the jury. So, do us all a favor and allow those with the applicable titles make the judgments. You’ve embarrassed yourself enough. And please do not respond that you’re not embarrassed because that would be even more embarrassing.
seaguy
@Ronnyboy: Your view is so wrong I cannot even begin to list the reasons why.
seaguy
This story failed to mention what type of insurance this was but being the company Mutual of Omaha does not sell health insurance but rather life insurance I would say it was a denial for a life insurance policy. Still I hope he wins it is wrong to just deny someone because they take Truvada.
Bisexual-Transwoman
@Stache99: LMAO I don’t troll…you however do nothing but troll this site.
@brucers: Meh the man in this article has a death wish and is an idiot wh0re; but anyone that’s on Truvada that barebacks is like this. I have read studies on Truvada/prep, and talked to people on it. It’s nowhere near as effective as condoms are and it’s highly toxic to the body and has not so good side effects.
Stache99
@Bisexual-Transwoman: Ah ok. Black and hiv positive, micheal mueller, etc…
Michael
@Bisexual-Transwoman: As has been pointed out, you don’t know anything about the man in the original article. Yet as if by magic you somehow know he’s a fool and a whore. By definition you are making that up and it is therefore nonsense.
Your continuing to assert that PrEP is nowhere near as effective at stopping HIV infection as condoms does not make it true. If you’ve read legitimate scientific studies that show this then post a link to one. Of course you won’t because you can’t because no such study exists. So that too is made up nonsense.
All your posts to date are nothing more than ignorance and judgmentalism wrapped in unsubstantiated fiction. In other words: all nonsense.
Bisexual-Transwoman
@Michael: That’s because people who are on Truvada and who expect to stay HIV neg all while barebacking are idiots and wh0res.