Tom Donohue's Journal

As provided by The ADAP Advocacy Association - chcek them out at (http://www.adapadvocacyassociation.org/index.html)

The ADAP Advocacy Association (aaa+) is a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization incorporated in the District of Columbia to promote and enhance the AIDS Drug Assistance Programs (ADAPs) and improve access to care for persons living with HIV/AIDS. aaa+ works with advocates, community, health care, government, patients, pharmaceutical companies and other stakeholders to assure that access to services recognize and afford persons living with HIV/AIDS to enjoy a healthy life.

ADAPs with Waiting Lists
(7,745 individuals in 11 states*, as of April 1, 2011)

Arkansas: 51 people
Florida: 3,905 people
Georgia: 1,278 people
Idaho: 11 people
Louisana: 831 people**
Montana: 22 people
North Carolina: 189 people
Ohio: 311 people
South Carolina: 565 people
Virginia: 579 people
Wyoming: 3 people

ADAPs with Other Cost-Containment Strategies
(instituted since April 1, 2009, as of February 2, 2011)

Arizona: Reduced formulary
Arkansas: Reduced formulary, lowered financial eligibility to 200% of FPL, (disenrolled 99 clients in September 2009)
Colorado: Reduced formulary
Florida: Reduced formulary, lower financial eligibility to 300% FPL, transition clients to Welvista from 2/14-3/31/11
Georgia: Reduced formulary, implemented medical criteria, continued participation in the Alternative Method Demonstration Project (AMDP)
Idaho: Capped enrollment
Illinois: Reduced formulary, instituted monthly expenditure cap
Kentucky: Reduced formulary
Louisiana: Discontinued reimbursement of laboratory assays
North Carolina: Reduced formulary
North Dakota: Capped enrollment, instituted annual expenditure cap, lowered financial eligibility to 300% FPL
Ohio: Reduced formulary, lowered financial eligibility to 300% of FPL (disenrolled 257 clients)
Puerto Rico: reduced formulary
South Carolina: Lowered financial eligibility to 300% FPL
Utah: Reduced formulary, lowered financial eligibility to 250% of FPL (disenrolled 89 clients)
Virginia: Reduced formulary, only distribute 30-day prescription refills
Washington: Instituted client cost sharing, reduced formulary (for uninsured clients only), only pay insurance premium for clients currently on antiretrovirals
Wyoming: Reduced formulary, instituted client cost sharing

ADAPs Considering New/Additional Cost-Containment Measures
(before March 31, 2011***)

Alabama: Cap enrollment, establish waiting list (as of April 1, 2011), reduce formulary
Colorado: Institute client cost sharing
Kentucky: Reduce formulary
Oregon: Reduce formulary
Puerto Rico: Reduce formulary
South Carolina: Disenroll 200 clients
Virginia: Transition 760 clients onto waiting list
Washington: Reduce formulary
Wyoming: Reduce formulary

*As a result of ADAP Emergency Funding, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Kentucky, South Dakota, and Utah have eliminated their waiting lists. Idaho reinstituted a waiting list in February 2011.
**Louisiana has a capped enrollment on their program. This number is a representation of their current unmet need.
***March 31, 2011 is the end of ADAP FY2010. ADAP fiscal years begin April 1 and ends March 31.

National Call-in Day to Support Funding for Domestic HIV/AIDS Programs
Tuesday, April 5

CAEAR Coalition is joining with our national partners to urge you to call on Congressional leaders to support full funding for domestic HIV/AIDS programs, including the Ryan White Program, during a national call-in day on Tuesday, April 5.

A number of CAEAR Coalition members will be on Capitol Hill that day carrying this same message and your support will make our presence stronger and our message louder.

Please share this alert with your networks and allies.

Background
• Congress has not passed a final Fiscal Year (FY) 2011 funding bill.
• Short-term FY 2011 funding for government programs runs out on April 8 and domestic programs that support health care and other services for people with HIV/AIDS are at risk for cuts.
• Congress also wants to use policy riders to limit the use of federal funding for important HIV-related programs, such as syringe exchange and public health programs that provide HIV and STD testing and other related medical services; and defund health care reform implementation.
• Congressional leadership is negotiating a final FY 2011 funding bill now and may vote on it sometime over the next few days.

Action Needed
Please call the following Congressional leaders and ask them to support full funding for domestic HIV/AIDS programs, including the Ryan White Program, and no policy riders. (Details on the requested funding amounts can be found here.)
• Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), 202-224-3542
• House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH), 202-225-0600
• Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), 202-224-3135

Message
I am calling to ask the Senator/Speaker to support full funding for domestic HIV/AIDS programs and no policy riders in the final FY11 funding bill!
• Amidst rising infection rates and shrinking state and local budgets, full federal funding for HIV/AIDS programs is more vital than ever. Over 1.1 million people currently are living with HIV and there are an estimated 56,000 new infections annually.
• Early and reliable access to HIV care and treatment help people with HIV live healthy and productive lives and is cost effective. HIV prevention today translates into greater health and less spending in the future.
• In my community, HIV programs are greatly needed, because (insert local details or tell personal story).