PI Action alerts & updates ... 2003
Early Treatment for HIV Act Introduced in Senate
Urge your Senators to Co-Sponsor This Important Bill!
Yesterday, Senators Gordon Smith (R-OR) and Hillary Clinton (D-NY),
filed S. 847, “The Early Treatment for HIV Act of 2003”
(ETHA). Original cosponsors of the bill are Senators Susan Collins
(R-ME), Jeff Bingaman (D-NM), Jon Corzine (D-NJ), Patty Murray (D-WA),
Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Mary Landrieu (D-LA),
and Ron Wyden (D-OR).
This bill would allow states to extend Medicaid coverage to low-income
pre-disabled people living with HIV. Under current law, most people
living with HIV must be disabled and have an AIDS diagnosis before
they can qualify for Medicaid. Enacting ETHA into law would represent
an important step toward ensuring that all people living with HIV
have access to medical care and treatment needed to remain healthy
for as long as possible.
While we are fighting proposed harmful changes and funding cuts
to Medicaid this year, we must also continue a proactive agenda
supporting improved access to care and treatment for thousands of
people living with HIV in the United States. ETHA is a humane and
cost-effective bill that would help alleviate the financial burden
on other programs like the AIDS Drug Assistance Program.
A strong bipartisan list of ETHA cosponsors will help ensure that
the bill is brought up for a vote. Please take a few minutes to
call both your U.S. Senators and urge them to sign on!
What you can do:
Call your two U.S. Senators in their Washington, DC office. Ask
to speak to their legislative aide who handles HIV and healthcare
issues. Whether you speak to them in person or leave a message,
let them know that you urge your Senator to cosponsor S.847, the
Early Treatment for HIV Act. If you have time for a brief conversation,
you might talk about how the bill would help you or people you care
about in your state.
If your Senator is an original cosponsor, please call and thank
him/her for their leadership on behalf of people with HIV/AIDS!
Contact info:
You can reach your Senators through the Capitol Switchboard, 202-224-3121.
Ask to be connected.
For more information about ETHA, including text of the legislation,
go to the Treatment Access Expansion Project (TAEP) website, www.taepusa.org.
Please forward this Alert to your friends and family and ask them
to take action!
