AEGiS-WashBlade: Early Treatment for HIV Act reintroduced in House: Would allow states to provide coverage for low-income patients

Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2007. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

Early Treatment for HIV Act reintroduced in House: Would allow states to provide coverage for low-income patients

Washington Blade - August 2, 2007

WASHINGTON - House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Reps. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.) and Eliot Engel (D-N.Y.) reintroduced the Early Treatment for HIV Act today. The act would provide Medicaid coverage for low-income HIV-positive patients in the U.S.

Rebecca Haag, executive director of AIDS Action, said that Medicaid only currently covers HIV drugs and treatment after an AIDS diagnosis is reached.

"Passing ETHA would not only increase the number of people who have access to care, but it would save lives at a 50 percent greater rate than under current law," Haag said.

When Pelosi reintroduced the act in 2004, she said, "Early treatment for HIV infection saves lives and reduces health care costs as progression from HIV to full-blown AIDS is prevented or delayed."

070802
WB070801

Copyright © 2007 - The Washington Blade. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of The Washington Blade content is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of the Blade. The Washington Blade shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon. The Washington Blade.

AEGiS is a 501(c)3, not-for-profit, tax-exempt, educational corporation. AEGiS is made possible through unrestricted funding from Boehringer Ingelheim, Bridgestone/Firestone Charitable Trust, Elton John AIDS Foundation UK, the National Library of Medicine, AIDS Walk of Orange County, and donations from users like you.

Always watch for outdated information. This article first appeared in 2007. 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, 2007. 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. .