Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2006. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
Bay Area Reporter - August 10, 2006
Bob Roehr
The five-year authorization of the bill that provides most federal funding for AIDS in the U.S. technically expired last September. By late spring congressional leaders involved in the process said agreement had been reached and the Senate would vote on it in May, with the House to follow in June.
It hasn't happened that way.
The impasse revolves around a common issue - money. Under the proposed legislation the formula for distributing funds would change to a names-based reporting of the number of persons who have tested positive for HIV within the jurisdiction.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has pushed names reporting for years and most states have such a system in place. But others allow for anonymous testing, which experts agree allows for some duplication in reporting. California this year switched to a names-based reporting system.
Several states, particularly New York, are likely to see a decrease in funding under the new formula. San Francisco also is bracing for significant cuts. However, projections of who will get what have not been forthcoming from the Government Accountability Office and the Department of Health and Human Services.
The traditional way such impasses are resolved is by increasing the total pot of funding so that no jurisdiction suffers actual losses. However, given the current funding and political climates in Washington, that does not seem to be a viable option.
On July 20 the Senate Appropriations Committee approved a budget of $2.139 billion for the CARE Act for fiscal year 2007, which begins October 1. In most cases the budget even fell short of funding levels requested by the Bush administration.
President Bush had requested a $70 million increase in AIDS Drug Assistance Program, but the Senate okayed only an additional $55 million.
Earlier, on June 13, the House had supported the president's full $70 increase for ADAP, but it also voted no increase for any other section of the CARE Act, despite Bush's proposed modest increase.
Given the rate of inflation, the rising cost of new drugs, and the increasing case load because of the success of these programs and many patients living longer, the net effect is a decrease in dollars spent per person living with AIDS.
Some Capitol Hill observers have speculated that the appropriations bill that includes the Department of Health and Human Services, second in size only to the military, may be delayed until after the November elections. AIDS advocates are beginning to think that might be their best hope to secure additional funding.
San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom last month sponsored a resolution calling for the reauthorization of the CARE Act at the U.S. Conference of Mayors' meeting in Las Vegas. "Now is the time to reauthorize the CARE Act, as well as modernize the grant process in order to proactively address new challenges in treating those with HIV/AIDS," Newsom said in a statement.
060810
BR060805
Copyright © 2006 - The Bay Area Reporter. Reproduction of this article (other than one copy for personal reference) must be cleared through the The Bay Area Reporter.
AEGiS is a 501(c)3, not-for-profit, tax-exempt, educational corporation. AEGiS is made possible through unrestricted funding from Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, Elton John AIDS Foundation, the National Library of Medicine, Pacific Life Foundation and donations from users like you.
Always watch for outdated information. This article first appeared in 2006. This material is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between you and your doctor.
AEGiS presents published material, reprinted with permission and neither endorses nor opposes any material. All information contained on this website, including information relating to health conditions, products, and treatments, is for informational purposes only. It is often presented in summary or aggregate form. It is not meant to be a substitute for the advice provided by your own physician or other medical professionals. Always discuss treatment options with a doctor who specializes in treating HIV.
Copyright ©1980, 2006. AEGiS. All materials appearing on AEGiS are protected by copyright as a collective work or compilation under U.S. copyright and other laws and are the property of AEGiS, or the party credited as the provider of the content. .