Federal assistance for HIV medications strained

The New York Times reports that the national recession is “ravaging” the federally funded AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP).

According to the Times, the program has seen a balloon of applications as the economy continues to falter, and unemployment remains high. The program spends on average $12,000 per person it assists, giving access to a steady stream of anti-retroviral medications to fight HIV and other medications to stave off opportunistic infections.

But there is not enough money to get treatment to those who need it.

Eleven states have closed enrollment in the federal program, most recently Florida, which has the nation’s third-largest population of people with H.I.V. Three other states have narrowed eligibility, and two of them — Arkansas and Utah — have dropped scores of people from the program.

Last week, because of swelling numbers here in South Florida, the nationwide waiting list surged past record levels set in 2004, to 1,781 people, according to the National Alliance of State and Territorial AIDS Directors. The growth is expected to continue when Georgia starts deferring enrollment in its drug assistance program on July 1, and Illinois may soon follow.

To counter the issue, activists are calling for an emergency supplemental spending bill of $126 million. Republicans have proposed taking the money from undedicated American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds, but the Obama administration has opposed that move.

Meanwhile in Michigan, the ADAP program costs the state $25,706,072 per year, Michigan Messenger has reported in the past. And Michigan Department of Community Health spokesperson Geralyn Lasher says the state’s program has not seen any problems, is still open to enrollment and serves about 3,000 people per year.