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General Questions
A CHC is a non-profit health clinic that provides high-quality, personalized healthcare for all ages. At a CHC, you’re in good hands. A team of providers manages your care to help you get and stay healthy. You’ll find everything you need in one place – doctors, tests, treatments, and medicines – right in your community.
At EveryYou Health, we believe in the power of CHCs to improve the health of communities, create jobs, and support local economies. That’s why we’re dedicated to connecting patients with their local CHC for advanced care, close to home.
We believe in the right to access affordable, high-quality care, even without insurance. Our costs are based on a sliding fee scale. The scale is based on your income and we’ll work with you to make sure money isn’t a barrier to care.
We provide comprehensive mind and body care to children, adolescents, adults, and seniors in New York City. EveryYou Health is here for you from birth through every stage of life.
It’s easy! Schedule a virtual or in-person appointment here.
Our Community Health Center providers accept most major insurances, including Medicaid and Medicare.
If you don’t have insurance, that’s not a problem. Our Community Health Center providers will work with you to make sure money isn’t a barrier to care.
We recommend you get your prescription from your Community Health Center’s partner pharmacy. Although you can use another pharmacy, using a CHC partner pharmacy will keep resources in the community and help us keep prescriptions affordable for everyone in it.
We ask that you contact your CHC at least 24-hours before if you’re unable to keep your appointment.
Pre-Exposure
Prophylaxis (PrEP)
Questions
PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) is a medicine available in pill or injectable form that protects you against HIV from sex or injection drug use. PrEP is an antiviral medication that stops the virus from multiplying in your body. It can be especially helpful if you have multiple sex partners, sex partners whose HIV status is unknown, or you have sex in an area where HIV is common.
PrEP is for anyone who may be at risk for HIV through sex or injection drug use. PrEP is right for you if:
- You are HIV-negative.
- You are at risk of HIV through sex or injection drug use.
- You weigh at least 77 pounds.
PrEP is highly effective in preventing HIV. It’s up to 99% effective at preventing new HIV infections when you take the daily pill correctly or get your injections on time. Just as importantly, PrEP gives you peace of mind, knowing that you’re protecting yourself, your partners, and your community. And, for most people, PrEP is free or low-cost.
To get the best protection against HIV, you must take it exactly as directed by your healthcare provider and avoid missing doses or appointments.
If you’re ready to get started with PrEP and don’t have any questions, EveryYou Health will get your labs ordered right away. Get started.
If you have questions and want to talk with your provider about getting on PrEP, schedule an initial appointment. You can learn about treatment options and what to expect while taking PrEP. If you decide to start PrEP, you’ll need to complete labs, including an HIV test, and you’ll schedule a follow-up visit. You’ll need to complete an HIV test within seven days before your follow-up visit. If your HIV test is negative and if your other lab results are normal, you’ll start PrEP at your follow-up visit.
While taking PrEP, you’ll follow up with your provider every 60 to 90 days (60 days for the injection and 90 days for the pill). You’ll need to get labs done before or during each appointment. Online visits are available if you can’t make it into the office for an appointment. However, if you’re taking the Apretude injections, you’ll need to get these in person in our office.
Yes, PrEP is only available by prescription.
Once we receive your initial lab results, we will schedule a visit with you within 7 days to prescribe you PrEP. The pharmacy will then need to fill your medication.
PrEP is not a medication that you need to take forever. You get to decide when to start and stop PrEP. Just remember to take take PrEP as prescribed for it to be the most effective. And once you’ve started taking PrEP, you should stay on it for at least a month after you were last exposed to HIV.
If you think that you’re no longer at risk of getting HIV, talk with your doctor before you stop taking PrEP.
To start and stay on PrEP, you’ll need to get routine labs done, including an HIV test with negative results. You can take these tests at EveryYou Health, at a Quest Diagnostics location, or at home using an at-home lab kit, which you can request from us.
Although we offer at-home testing, these tests can have a high rejection rate, which means you may need to repeat the test. We suggest getting your tests done at your local CHC or a Quest Diagnostics location if possible. If you choose the at-home testing option, follow instructions carefully for the best results.
While on PrEP, your healthcare provider will also test for:
- Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs)
- Proper kidney functioning
- Hepatitis B
- Serum liver enzymes
- Lipid profile
- Pregnancy (for patients assigned female at birth)
If you’re taking PrEP pills, you’ll need to test every three months. If you’re getting an injection, you’ll need a negative HIV test before every shot.
If you test positive for HIV, your doctor will contact you directly to discuss treatment options. We’ll be there to provide treatment and help you get the care you need.
Three medications are approved for PrEP. Two of the medications, Descovy and Truvada, are pills that are taken daily. The third, Apretude, is a medicine given by injection every two months after two initial monthly shots.
When choosing a medication, think about your lifestyle and what would work best for you. For some people, taking a pill every day can be hard. But, if you don’t think you could make it into your Community Health Center every other month to get an injection, an oral pill might be the best option.
Apretude is the only shot approved for PrEP. After you get initial shots – one the first month and one the second – you’ll get injections every other month. The medication releases slowly over time, meaning you don’t have to remember to take a daily pill. Apretude may be a good option if you struggle to take a pill every day. However, you must be able to attend your injection appointments in-person every other month.
Descovy is a pill that you take once a day. It’s essential to keep up with this medication. If you miss a dose even one day, the medication won’t work as well. Descovy can only be taken if you were assigned male at birth.
Truvada is another pill form of PrEP. Like Descovy, Truvada must be taken once a day, every day. It is important that you do not miss any doses. Unlike Descovy, Truvada can be used by those assigned female at birth or those who have receptive vaginal sex.
For Apretude, if you think you will miss a shot by more than seven days, contact your provider right away. You may be able to get an oral dose (for up to two months) that will replace the shot you missed.
If you take PrEP pills and miss a dose, don’t panic. When you remember, take it right away. DO NOT take two doses to make up for the one you missed. You can only take one pill a day. If you take more than one pill, miss a dose, or have questions about what to do, contact your provider for help.
If you’ve missed a dose of your PrEP pill and are sexually active, it’s important to take precautions like using other forms of protection. A missed dose can lower your protection against the virus. Practice safe sex at all times but be even more cautious if you’ve missed a dose.
We recommend you get your prescription from your Community Health Center’s partner pharmacy. Although you can use another pharmacy, using a CHC partner pharmacy will keep resources in the community and help us keep prescriptions affordable for everyone in it.
PrEP is safe to take with most other medications. One exception is non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs), like ibuprofen and naproxen. The reason for this is the added pressure NSAIDs put on the kidneys and liver. For that reason, avoid NSAIDs as much as possible while on PrEP.
Be sure to talk to your healthcare provider about all the medications you take.
Alcohol and PrEP are well-tolerated together. But, when drinking alcohol, your judgment may become impaired. This may lead to poor choices, such as having risky sex or forgetting your PrEP pill or appointment.
Talk with your healthcare provider if you are concerned about using recreational drugs or alcohol while on PrEP.
For most people, PrEP is free or low-cost. PrEP is covered by most insurances. If you don’t have insurance, don’t worry. We’ll work with you to make sure money isn’t a barrier to getting you the PrEP medication you need.
Yes, PrEP is covered by most insurances, including Medicaid and Medicare.
If you don’t have insurance or are under insured, we’ll work with you to find assistance programs to provide PrEP for free or at a low cost, including the PrEP medication, labs and doctor visits.
Our health centers keep your visits and treatment information confidential. In New York, you do not need parental consent for HIV/STD testing and treatment over the age of 13.
However, it is possible that your health insurance company may send some information about your PrEP services, such as an explanation of benefits, to the policyholder of your health plan.
At EveryYou Health we believe in empowering health choices so you can do what’s best for you. If you’re concerned about your parents finding out that you’re on PrEP, please talk to your health center and we’ll help you find a solution.
PrEP Concierge is a free digital tool that interactively guides you through your PrEP journey. It’s customized to your lifestyle and personal needs. It even connects you directly with your care team in case you run into questions about your care and using PrEP.
It’s free! Although your standard data and text message rates from your phone plan may apply.
No. We encourage anyone who is using PrEP or is interested in PrEP to enroll. It’s a great resource for you AND your loved ones!
No. If you’re considering starting PrEP or are just curious about PrEP, we encourage you to enroll. Our PrEP Concierge is full of great information if you’re interested in learning more.
PrEP Concierge delivers helpful, personalized information directly to you. It keeps you on track with real-time answers to your questions, appointment and medication reminders, a library of information, and more! Even if you’re not yet taking PrEP, the Concierge is a supportive resource to help you learn more about it.
Some cell phone providers will automatically deliver a pop-up message about additional charges. However, there is no extra cost beyond your current plan. Contact your service provider if you have questions.
Your information is used to enhance your access to PrEP, personalize the information you receive, support you throughout your PrEP journey, provide additional information and functionality upon request, and for other purposes. See complete terms and conditions for more information.
We don’t use the information you provide to evaluate whether you should seek medical care. If you have a medical concern, the information contained in this program should not replace seeking advice from a doctor or healthcare provider.
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