PI Action alerts & updates ... 2006

PROJECT INFORM'S STATEMENT
ON PRESIDENT'S BUDGET PROPOSAL:
HIV/AIDS Increases Can’t Compensate
for Erosion of Health Care Safety Net

San Francisco, February 6, 2006

President Bush released his Fiscal Year 2007 budget proposal today, which includes a $70 million increase to provide anti-HIV drugs for people on AIDS Drug Assistance Program waiting lists. The President also offered an increase of $25 million for faith-based outreach, $93 million for HIV prevention efforts, including rapid testing, and a $14 million increase for the Housing Opportunities for People With AIDS (HOPWA) program.

While these increases are badly needed and long overdue, the cuts to lifesaving health care programs such as Medicaid and Medicare in this proposal could actually leave people with HIV/AIDS with less access to health care. Medicaid is the largest payer of HIV/AIDS care and is the safety net for this population and other vulnerable Americans. Medicare is the second largest payer.

These proposed cuts, coupled with those recently adopted in the 2006 budget bill, threaten to dismantle Medicaid, and potentially harm Medicare, both lifesaving programs for people with HIV/AIDS. Increases in the AIDS Drug Assistance Program, while essential, can’t make up for the damage that will be done to the foundation of HIV/AIDS care and treatment provided by Medicaid and Medicare.

Moreover, the overall cut to the Health and Human Services (HHS) budget proposed by the President demonstrates not leadership on behalf of people with HIV/AIDS, but an abdication of the responsibility for caring for the poorest and sickest in the nation. While HIV/AIDS received an increase in this budget proposal, many vital health care and social programs are being cut as needs throughout our country are growing. The rate of uninsured Americans continues to increase under this Administration and needs for basic social services grow; meanwhile, the Administration and Congress focus on tax cuts for the wealthy.

An inadequate increase for HIV-specific programs while the underlying safety net for health care and services continues to be dismantled is poor health care policy. Congress must reverse priorities and protect access to health care and essential services for Americans in need, including people with HIV/AIDS.