ADAP

Please, join the Illinois Department of Public Health for a series of upcoming webinar trainings that will cover utilizing the PROVIDE system and internet for AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP) and/or CHIC Applications. All Case managers, consumers, health care providers, and everyone else should attend to learn how to navigate the new system.

ADAP and CHIC Training

Audience:  Anyone who will be submitting an application to ADAP and/or CHIC application.

Training Dates:
• Friday, June 17, 2011 from 9:00 AM - 12:30 PM
• Monday, June 20, 2011 from 1:00 PM - 4:30 PM
• Tuesday, June 21, 2011 from 9:00 AM - 12:30 PM
• Wednesday, June 29, 2011 from 9:00 AM - 12:30 PM

Provide Enterprise Training

Audience: All Illinois Ryan White Part B Case Managers

Training Dates:
• Thursday, June 23 from 9:00 AM - 12:30 PM
• Thursday, June 30 from 9:00 AM - 12:30 PM

To register for both webinars click here to go to the IDPH training schedule or go to http://www.idph.state.il.us/aids/HIV_Training_Page.htm then go to the Training Schedule. 

For more information download the event flyers :
Provide Users Flyer

ADAP and CHIC Web Application Flyer
 

Via The Chicago Sun-Times by Monifa Thomas

Beginning this summer, the state will tighten its eligibility requirements for the financially-strapped AIDS Drug Assistance Program.

The program’s current income limit for eligibility is 500 percent of the federal poverty level, or $54,450 for a single individual.

After July 1, only HIV-positive people whose income is at or below 300 percent of the poverty level ($32,670) will be eligible to apply, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health.

The change will not affect people already enrolled in the program, which subsidizes prescription drug costs for 4,100 Illinois residents a month.

The Illinois Department of Public Health announced service cuts to the AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP), which will reduce access to the program beginning July 1, 2011.

The HIV Meds Access Campaign is asking people living with HIV/AIDS to share their stories about accessing medication and health care services. These personal anecdotes help us creatively and effectively demonstrate to state and federal lawmakers why programs that provide medication and care are critical for people living with HIV/AIDS.

Please join the AIDS Foundation of Chicago’s Illinois ADAP 411 conference call on Friday, April 22 at 12:00 p.m. and learn about the new ADAP eligibility restrictions, how this will impact consumers, and what you can do to help.

There are two important changes to Illinois ADAP that will benefit people with HIV who get their medications from either private insurance or Medicare.  In addition, a third change may make it possible for people on ADAP to afford comprehensive health insurance under the new Illinois Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan. 

Responsible Budget Coalition
CALL-IN DAY
Monday, Jan 10th

Last week, Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL) sent a letter to key members of the Senate Appropriations Committee urging them to do more to address the ADAP crisis.  These kinds of communications among members of Congress are a key way to influence decision making. 

But where do these letters come from and how does a member of Congress decide in which issues to engage?  Behind each 'Dear colleague' letter there is a story of legislator engagement, education, and relationship building.

Carl Schmid, Deputy Executive Director of The AIDS Institute, was one of the advocates involved in working with Sen. Nelson's staff to generate this letter and kindly agreed to answer a few questions for Dose of Change.

Dose of Change: Sen. Bill Nelson recently sent a letter to the several key members of the Senate Appropriations Committee advocating for a more aggressive response to the ADAP crisis.  What role do these kinds of letters play in an overall advocacy strategy?

Carl Schmid: For positive change to happen, in this case additional money for ADAP, we need members of congress to speak up.  Sen. Nelson is doing that with his letter to Senate Appropriation leaders.  Appropriators react to many pressures, both inside and outside of the Congress, if no Senators speak out, then it would be difficult to get the additional resources.  In the end you have to have advocates amongst the decision makers to carry your message.

DOC: What role did advocates play in the development of this letter?

CS: As a Florida based organization, we have been meeting with Sen. Nelson’s office for a number of weeks to discuss the ADAP situation, which is particularly in bad shape in Florida.  Additionally, people living with HIV/AIDS in Florida, particularly Michael Rajner, had the opportunity to personally discuss the problem with the Senator who said he would help solve it.  Michael, I and others have continued to be in communication with his office, but it was really the advocates in Florida who made it happen.

DOC: What advice do you have for advocates looking to enlist this kind of support for their members of Congress?

CS: It would be great for advocates in other states to do the same.  We really need it.  There is only so much a DC advocate can do.  Members of Congress really react to their constituents.  Advocates must be vocal and persistent; action does not happen overnight.  You have to continue to push and present your facts and your asks.  In this case, it was a great combination of state and federal advocates working together. 

But what about everything else?

WHEW! Illinois AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP) clients and AIDS advocates breathed a sigh of relief on July 16. State public health officials announced that day that Governor Quinn had allocated enough state funding to avoid an ADAP waiting list or major cost containment. THANK GOVERNOR QUINN!

But will people with HIV have access to housing and care programs that help them connect to ADAP and stay healthy? Will people at risk of HIV be able to turn to HIV prevention programs to help them stay negative? Last year, these programs were cut by over $7 million. Make sure they’re not cut again!

There’s a small window of opportunity for Gov. Quinn to make sure people with HIV have housing and services to help them access medical care and to ensure that HIV prevention programs are adequately funded. Tell Governor Quinn: Thanks for funding ADAP… don’t forget community programs!

Among the myriad provisions of the historic health care reform legislation past this spring is a policy change that (beginning in 2011) will allow struggling state AIDS Drug Assistance Programs (ADAPs) transition beneficiaries to Medicare Part D.  This is accomplished by allowing ADAP expenditures count towards Medicare Part D true out-of-pocket costs.

Confused?  You're not alone.

Dose of Change hosted a webinar with policy experts John Coburn of Health and Disability Advocates and Ann Lefert of National Alliance of State and Territorial AIDS Directors to help AIDS advocates prepare for this coming change.

Download presentation slides (PDF).

Download presentation audio and follow along with the slides (MP3).

Stay tuned for more information on how your state can take advantage of this change in the law.  Dose of Change will be developing more resources to help state-level advocates in the months ahead.