National LGBT Health Awareness Week takes place this year from March 22 to 26. It’s a good time to make sure that you are taking care of your sexual health. You probably know that if you are sexually active, you may be at risk for contracting HIV. And you may have heard about PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis), a once-a-day pill that can help HIV-negative people stay negative.  This treatment is safe and highly effective in preventing HIV transmission, if taken properly.

You may want to consider PrEP if:

• You are in a relationship with an HIV-positive partner.
• You don’t regularly use condoms when having sex.
• You have been diagnosed with a sexually transmitted infection (STI) in the past six months.
• You have shared equipment when injecting drugs.

Unfortunately, many people are still unaware of PrEP, mistakenly think it is unaffordable, don’t know where to get it, fear stigma around PrEP, or have the wrong information about side effects.

Talk to your health care provider about PrEP to find out if it is right for you and where to access treatment. If you are not comfortable talking to your current doctor, you can find PrEP-savvy providers through resources including NYC of Health: Where to Get PrEP, Callen-Lorde, and CHN.

It’s also a good idea to reach out to anyone you think could benefit from knowing about PrEP and share  resources that include PrEP information, including Amida Care, Centers for Disease Control PrEP Basics, NYC Health Department PrEP Info, and the NYS Health Department (PrEP for Sex).

Your health insurance plan (Medicaid, Medicare, private, or employer-based) should cover the cost of treatment, though you may have some out-of-pocket expenses. If you cannot get insurance coverage, your health care provider can apply for free treatment for you through the medication assistance programs run by the manufacturer.

It’s also important to be tested regularly for HIV and other STIs. In New York City, find an HIV testing site or HIV services (look under Sexual Health Services) near you.

Amida Care can also help. Amida Care is a Medicaid Special Needs Health Plan (SNP) that serves 8,500 members throughout the five boroughs of New York City, including people living with HIV/AIDS; people of transgender experience, regardless of HIV status; and people who are experiencing homelessness, regardless of HIV status. Please contact us at 1-855-GO-AMIDA (1-855-462-6432, TTY 711) to be directed to more health resources or visit www.amidacareny.org.