Ready, Set, PrEP in 2026: The Program Ended — Here's What Replaced It

What was Ready, Set, PrEP?

Launched in 2019 as part of the federal Ending the HIV Epidemic (EHE) initiative, Ready, Set, PrEP was a federally funded patient assistance program that provided free PrEP medication to uninsured Americans who qualified. It was administered through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) and operated at getyourprep.com.

At its peak, Ready, Set, PrEP served tens of thousands of uninsured patients with free Truvada, Descovy, and later generic PrEP. For a specific population — uninsured, low-income Americans — it was the most accessible pathway to PrEP.

Why did Ready, Set, PrEP end?

The program ended in July 2025 following broader federal decisions about PrEP access and funding. Contributing factors included Gilead Sciences' January 2025 decision to end brand Truvada through its Advancing Access program (generics had become widely available), shifting federal HIV prevention priorities, and the broader 2025 federal budget landscape affecting HIV prevention infrastructure.

The Ending the HIV Epidemic initiative itself is facing significant funding pressure in 2026, and many previously federally-funded HIV prevention programs have been consolidated, reduced, or eliminated. Ready, Set, PrEP's end reflects that broader landscape change.

What replaced Ready, Set, PrEP?

There is no direct federal replacement. Access for previously-eligible patients is now handled through a combination of existing programs, each with its own eligibility rules and limitations.

1. Gilead Advancing Access (for Descovy and Yeztugo)

Gilead's manufacturer program continues to provide free Descovy and free Yeztugo (lenacapavir) to uninsured patients with household income ≤500% of the Federal Poverty Level (~$75,300/year for an individual in 2026). Critically, no Social Security Number is required and undocumented residents are explicitly eligible. Medication ships via FedEx overnight.

• Apply: gileadadvancingaccess.com or 1-800-226-2056
• Covers: Descovy (oral PrEP), Yeztugo (twice-yearly injectable)
• Does NOT cover: Generic TDF/FTC (Gilead ended brand Truvada assistance Jan 2025)

2. ViiVConnect (for Apretude)

ViiV Healthcare's Patient Assistance Program provides free Apretude (cabotegravir) to uninsured patients with income <500% FPL.

• Apply: viivconnect.com or 1-844-588-3288
• Covers: Apretude (every-2-month injectable PrEP)

3. State PrEP Drug Assistance Programs (~15 states)

Approximately 15 states operate state-funded PrEP assistance programs. Income limits and coverage details vary by state. The most comprehensive programs include California (PrEP-AP), Illinois (PrEP4Illinois), Washington (PrEP DAP), Massachusetts, Colorado (PHIP), New York (PrEP-AP), Ohio (PAPI), Virginia, and New Mexico. Most Southern states and many rural states do not operate state PrEP programs.

Check our state-by-state guide for your specific state's program — or lack thereof.

4. Medicaid (if you qualify)

All 50 state Medicaid programs cover PrEP at $0 as an ACA preventive service. If you're uninsured and low-income, the first question should be whether you qualify for Medicaid in your state. In 41 states plus DC, Medicaid expansion has expanded eligibility to adults up to 138% FPL. In 10 non-expansion states (mostly Southern), eligibility is much more restrictive.

5. Telehealth platforms (340B pathway)

Online telehealth services partnered with 340B-covered entities can provide $0 PrEP including consultation, labs, and medication — regardless of insurance status. For many previously-Ready, Set, PrEP-eligible patients, this is now the fastest and easiest alternative.

6. FQHCs and Ryan White clinics

Federally Qualified Health Centers and Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program clinics serve patients on a sliding-scale basis regardless of insurance status. Find an FQHC at findahealthcenter.hrsa.gov or a Ryan White clinic at locator.hiv.gov.

If you were enrolled in Ready, Set, PrEP

Former Ready, Set, PrEP enrollees received communications about program closure in 2025. If you missed those communications or didn't successfully transition, here's what to do now:

1. If you were on Descovy: Apply to Gilead Advancing Access. Same eligibility criteria (≤500% FPL, uninsured) and same medication — this is the most direct replacement path.
2. If you were on brand Truvada: Brand Truvada assistance ended January 2025. Options are (a) switch to Descovy through Gilead Advancing Access, (b) cash-pay generic TDF/FTC at ~$30/month, or (c) use a telehealth platform for $0 generic PrEP.
3. If you were on generic TDF/FTC: No manufacturer PAP exists for generic PrEP. Options are state PrEP DAP (if available), telehealth platform (most accessible option), or cash pay at ~$30/month.
4. If you're in a state without a PrEP DAP: Telehealth or Gilead Advancing Access (for Descovy/Yeztugo) are your best bets.

Who falls through the cracks?

The gap left by Ready, Set, PrEP's end is most acute for:

• Uninsured residents of non-Medicaid-expansion states without a state PrEP DAP — roughly residents of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Wyoming who are on generic PrEP
• People at 150-400% FPL who previously used Ready, Set, PrEP and don't qualify for Medicaid but are hitting copay issues through the ACA marketplace
• Rural patients without nearby FQHCs or Ryan White clinics
• Generic PrEP users specifically — no manufacturer PAP exists for generic TDF/FTC

For these populations, telehealth platforms leveraging 340B pricing have become the primary accessible pathway. It's not a perfect replacement for a federal program, but for most patients, it works.

How to find your state's replacement pathway

1. Check if your state has a PrEP DAP — see our state-by-state guide. If yes, apply directly.
2. Check if you qualify for Medicaid in your state. If yes, enroll — PrEP is covered at $0.
3. If uninsured and need Descovy, Yeztugo, or Apretude, apply to the relevant manufacturer PAP (Gilead or ViiV).
4. For generic TDF/FTC uninsured, or if the above is slow, use a telehealth platform for $0 same-day PrEP.

Frequently asked questions