Florida--with nation's third largest

HIV/AIDS caseload--has placed 3,762 HIV/AIDS patients on a waiting list

to access its AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP), a federal/state

program that helps provide lifesaving AIDS drugs to low-income

Americans. This accounts for more than half of the nationwide total

(7,762 people in eleven states) in need of HIV/AIDS medications on ADAP

waiting lists.

 

Now, the Florida State Department of Health is considering a reduction

in the financial eligibility guidelines for ADAP from 400% of Federal

Poverty Level (FPL) to 200%.

 

Such a rule change may appear to save the state of Florida some money

in the short term; however, it would also cut thousands of vulnerable

Floridians off from lifesaving HIV/AIDS care and services and

ultimately lead to far higher medical costs to the state as these AIDS

patients became ill and seek more expensive emergency care at hospitals

around the state.

 

A single Floridian living with AIDS earning anything more than $21,780

per year would no longer qualify for any assistance. Hundreds of

Florida AIDS patients could immediately be dis-enrolled from ADAP and

other programs. These patients' drugs and drug regimens can cost

$12,000 to $15,000 per year--so these newly ineligible patients might

face drug costs that are easily more than half of their income.

 

Urge Governor Scott to intervene and ensure that the state of Florida

keeps its eligibility threshold at 400% of Federal Poverty Level,

preventing a potentially devastating situation for scores of Florida

AIDS patients and their families.