The latest development in a high-profile New York congressional primary centers on a policy push to remove financial barriers to HIV prevention. At the heart of the announcement is 33-year-old Jack Schlossberg, grandson of President John F. Kennedy and a Democratic candidate in New York’s 12th District, who is proposing what his campaign calls the No Pay PrEP & PEP Plan. Schlossberg frames the proposal as an effort to ensure that the most effective prevention medicines are available without any cost at the point of care, arguing that prevention should not depend on a person’s wallet.
Schlossberg is running in a competitive primary that includes Assembly members Micah Lasher and Alex Bores, attorney George Conway, and additional contenders, with the Democratic primary scheduled for June 23. His announcement also doubles as a critique of the current federal trajectory under the Department of Health and Human Services led by his cousin, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., whom Schlossberg accuses of rolling back key prevention programs and funding.
What the No Pay PrEP & PEP Plan would do
The proposal rests on two clear pillars. First, it would require that all public and private insurers provide complete coverage of every FDA-approved PrEP option with zero cost-sharing, removing copays, deductibles, and prior authorization hurdles that can leave people paying out of pocket. The plan would also establish a federal voucher mechanism for uninsured and underinsured Americans so that no one loses access because of coverage gaps. By calling for universal cost-free access at the point of care, the plan targets the financial obstacles that limit uptake.
Creating a permanent funding stream
The second pillar calls for the creation of a dedicated HIV Prevention Trust Fund, a long-term financing vehicle intended to shield prevention programs from annual appropriations battles and possible cuts. Schlossberg likens prevention infrastructure to public utilities: once built, it must be maintained through steady funding, not year-to-year patchwork. The trust fund would aim to protect services such as testing, surveillance, outreach, and linkage to care—elements advocates warn could be weakened by administrative reorganizations.
Why advocates say this matters
Public health experts point to recent federal efforts under the previous administration that expanded targeted prevention measures, including guidelines for doxyPEP to curb syphilis and other sexually transmitted infections in gay, bisexual, and transgender communities. University research documented notable declines in syphilis in areas where doxyPEP uptake was high, evidence cited by former officials as a sign that focused policies can work. Advocates argue that medication availability alone is not enough: sustained funding for supportive programs is essential to keep communities protected.
Policy context and proposed cuts
Schlossberg’s initiative appears in the midst of budget proposals and administrative reorganizations at HHS that critics say threaten HIV prevention gains. Budget documents show proposed reductions in NIH HIV and AIDS research funding from about $3.29 billion to $1.91 billion, and policy analysts warn that programmatic shifts could translate into more than $1.5 billion in cuts for efforts to curb HIV spread. The administration has discussed consolidating programs into a new entity described as the Administration for a Healthy America, a structure that has not received congressional funding.
Political and personal dimensions
Schlossberg has been an outspoken critic of his cousin’s tenure at HHS, questioning the direction of policy and public messaging. He accuses the administration of deprioritizing LGBTQ-focused public health work, from surveillance and outreach to access to gender-affirming care, and frames the proposed cuts as disproportionately harming already vulnerable people. HHS responded by defending its priorities and saying some grants were ended because they did not align with the agency’s direction, according to a statement from senior press secretary Emily G. Hilliard.
Motivations and background
Schlossberg describes his commitment to HIV issues as shaped by early influences, including a formative class at Harvard Law School with civil rights advocates who litigated AIDS discrimination, and by public figures who have championed funding and visibility for the cause. He cites cultural advocates as models for sustained advocacy and positions his plan as both a policy and moral response to what he portrays as a dangerous rollback of prevention resources.
As the June 23 primary approaches, Schlossberg’s plan aims to shift the debate toward concrete financing changes that would eliminate point-of-care costs for prevention drugs and establish a durable funding mechanism. Whether voters respond to the blend of policy detail and pointed criticism of HHS leadership will be decided on primary day, but the proposal has already sharpened the conversation about federal commitment to HIV prevention and the protection of LGBTQ health services.