Thanks for the ADAP funding! But we have some work to do.

In 12 states across America, over 2,200 people are on waiting lists for HIV medications because the AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP) is deeply under-funded. 

On Tuesday, July 13, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sibelius will announce (finally!) that the Obama administration will partially solve this problem by providing $25 million in emergency funding to states for ADAP.

It's great news for people with HIV who are unlucky enough to live in those 12 states.  We thank the Obama administration for identifying the funding in a very difficult economic climate.

Will it help Illinois?  Probably not.  Thanks to Illinois Governor Pat Quinn and fierce advocates in the state legislature and community, Illinois ADAP has not yet—yet—implemented a waiting list or other harmful cost containment measures. 

In fact, on July 1 Governor Quinn announced that ADAP will receive sufficient funding this state fiscal year to provide HIV meds to an average of 4,500 people a month. But what if the program grows above this level?  It’s highly unlikely that Illinois can find more money, given the state’s $11 billion deficit.  Hello, waiting list.

Unfortunately, the $25 million in new federal money won’t address ADAP’s national structural problem: there’s just too little funding to support medications for so many people with HIV.   In fact, it’s likely states will be forced to implement waiting lists again before the end of the calendar year. 

Next federal fiscal year, advocates estimate that ADAP needs a funding increase of $370 million.  How much additional funding did President Obama propose? $20 million.

The good news is that come 2014, when national health reform kicks in, many people with HIV will be able to access comprehensive, affordable health care.  Until then, we have a lot of advocacy to do.