Judge rules against required coverage of HIV prevention drug

AUSTIN (AP) — A federal judge ruled Wednesday that required coverage of an HIV prevention drug under the Affordable Care Act violates a Texas employer's religious beliefs and undercut the broader system that determines which preventive drugs are covered in the U.S.

The ruling was handed down by U.S. District Judge Reed O'Connor, whose courtroom in Fort Worth is a favored venue for conservative opponents of the federal health care law that's also known as “Obamacare.” He ruled in 2018 that the entire law is invalid but was later overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court.

O'Connor's latest ruling targets a requirement that employer-provided insurance cover the HIV prevention treatment known as PrEP, which is a pill taken daily to prevent infection.