Press room ... 2004 archive

Governor Schwarzenegger's Budget Proposal Fails Californians Living with HIV

January 9, 2004

San Francisco—Project Inform, a leading national HIV/AIDS treatment information and advocacy organization serving over 20,000 Californians, strongly criticized Governor Schwarzenegger's proposed state budget for its failure to provide adequate funding for the AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP). ADAP provides essential, life-saving treatment to low income Californians living with HIV who can't otherwise afford treatment. Project Inform also denounced proposed reductions in reimbursement to Medi-Cal providers.

"Governor Schwarzenegger must not balance the budget on the backs of low-income people living with HIV. The AIDS Drug Assistance Program is a life-saving, essential health care program and must be protected even in difficult budget years", said Anne Donnelly, Director of Public Policy for Project Inform. "To allow people in need of medication that could save their lives to languish on a waiting list is unconscionable."

The AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP) provides anti-HIV medications to nearly 24,000 Californians, 80% of whom earn less than $18,000 per year. Without ADAP, these people will be unable to afford lifesaving treatment, which can cost a minimum of $10,000 to $15,000 a year.

The Governor has proposed cutting $6.6 million in HIV/AIDS funding and did not include any increase in funding for ADAP. Additionally, he has also proposed to cap ADAP at its current enrollment—23,900 individuals. This could result at least 1,400 people being denied anti-HIV medications in the next year alone. The lack of additional funding will likely also cause a reduction of benefits for those currently enrolled and the inability to add new important drugs to the formulary.

"The Governor knows that to truly serve low-income Californians with HIV, he needs to increase ADAP funding by approximately $45 million in this budget," added Ellen LaPointe, Project Inform's Executive Director. "Studies show that without access to appropriate treatment, health outcomes for people with HIV are much worse. As people get sicker and sicker, the state will face dramatically increased costs in the form of emergency and acute care. It is disappointing that the Governor has not only chosen to ignore this, but has gone further to propose additional cuts. We believe this recommendation is shortsighted, and disregards the needs of thousands who are depending on the Governor for their continued well-being."

Project Inform and other AIDS advocates are mounting a major campaign to urge the State Legislature to reject this proposal and provide adequate funding for ADAP and other HIV/AIDS programs. On Tuesday, January 13, advocates will stage a noontime rally at the State Building in San Francisco, McAllister between Polk and Hyde, to protest this proposal. For more information on this rally, contact Ryan Clary at 415-558-8669 x224 or rclary@projectinform.org.