PI Action alerts & updates ... 2003
Early Treatment For HIV Act
Gets Major Boost With Study Findings
Urge your Representative and Senators to co-sponsor this lifesaving
bill!
The Early Treatment for HIV Act (ETHA) received a major boost recently
when a PricewaterhouseCoopers study revealed significant health
and economic benefits if the bill is passed. The most dramatic finding
was that over a ten year period, ETHA could cut in half the death
rate of people with HIV on Medicaid if passed and implemented by
the states. It also found that over ten years, ETHA would save Medicaid
$31.7 million. For a fact sheet summarizing the finding, email Ryan
Clary or go to www.taepusa.org/pages/PwC_ETHA_report_factsheet.pdf.
ETHA is a bill pending in Congress that 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.
It would also help relieve pressure on underfunded programs like
the AIDS Drug Assistance Program and other care programs funded
by the Ryan White CARE Act.
In April of this year, Senators Gordon Smith (R-OR) and Hillary
Clinton (D-NY) introduced ETHA as S. 847. In addition to Senators
Smith and Clinton, there are now 17 co-sponsors (see list below).
The House of Representative’s version has not yet been introduced,
but the lead co-sponsors are Representative Nancy Pelosi (D-SF)
and Jim Leach (R-IA).
On Tuesday and Wednesday, July 15 and 16, advocates will be in
Washington, DC, advocating for more co-sponsors for this bill. Particularly
important are Republican co-sponsors as bipartisanship is crucial
to ensure that the legislation is passed. You can be a part of this
effort by calling your elected officials and urging them to sign
on as co-sponsors!
How you can help:
Call your U.S. Representative and two U.S. Senators in their Washington,
DC offices. Ask to speak to their legislative aide who handles healthcare
issues. Whether you talk to them live or leave a message, let them
know that you want your Rep/Senator to co-sponsor the Early Treatment
for HIV Act. Use the following sample phone scripts to help craft
your message.
Please try to make your calls by the end of day Wednesday, July
16 so that they are part of the overall ETHA advocacy event. But
if you can’t call by then, please do so as soon as possible!
Sample Phone Message
For Representatives:
“I am calling to urge Representative __________ to co-sponsor
the Early Treatment for HIV Act. This bill would allow states to
extend Medicaid coverage to low-income people with HIV who haven’t
yet become disabled. To co-sponsor the bill, please contact Representative
Nancy Pelosi or Jim Leach’s office.”
For Senators:
“I am calling to urge Senator __________ to co-sponsor S.
847, the Early Treatment for HIV Act. This bill would allow states
to extend Medicaid coverage to low-income people with HIV who haven’t
yet become disabled. To co-sponsor the bill, please contact Senator
Hillary Clinton or Gordon Smith’s office.”
If you have time for a conversation, you might talk about the findings
in the PriceWaterhouseCoopers report, and/or explain how this bill
would help you or someone you care about.
If your Senator has already signed on as a co-sponsor, please call
their office and thank them for their leadership!
Contact information:
You can call the Capitol Switchboard toll-free at 1-800-839-5276.
Ask to be connected to your Representative/Senator. You’ll
need to know their name first.
Don’t know who your representatives are? Call 1-888-VOTE-SMART
or visit www.vote-smart.org.
List of Senate co-sponsors (as of 7/11/03)
Gordon Smith (R-OR): Lead co-sponsor
Hillary Clinton (D-NY): Lead co-sponsor
Jeff Bingaman (D-NM)
Barbara Boxer (D-CA)
Maria Cantwell (D-WA)
Susan Collins (R-ME)
Jon Corzine (D-NJ)
Richard Durbin (D-IL)
Dianne Feinstein (D-CA)
Daniel Inouye (D-HI)
Tim Johnson (D-SD)
John Kerry (D-MA)
Mary Landrieu (D-LA)
Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ)
Joe Lieberman (D-CT)
Barbara Mikulski (D-MD)
Patty Murray (D-WA)
Charles Schumer (D-NY)
Ron Wyden (D-OR)
Thank you for responding to this Alert! For more information on
ETHA, go to www.taepusa.org.
