2008 Policy Priorities: Care

The following policies impact the delivery of essential HIV testing, healthcare, and support services for people with and at risk for HIV.

5. Increase government funding for voluntary HIV testing services: The state and federal governments must provide increased funding to expand the number of providers offering, and the number of clients accepting, voluntary HIV testing services.

An estimated 10,000 Illinoisans remain unaware of their HIV-positive status, a crisis that contributes to poor utilization of lifesaving HIV treatments, support services, and prevention measures designed to slow the spread of the epidemic. Passed last year, Illinois Public Law 95-0007 aims to help reach Illinoisans with undiagnosed HIV by modernizing state testing laws. Unfortunately, funding remains insufficient to adequately expand voluntary testing services, train medical providers, and reach the under- and un-insured. To address these challenges, AFC urges the Governor and members of the Illinois General Assembly to support a new $2 million appropriation for HIV testing expansion.

6. Expand housing options for people with HIV/AIDS: The federal government must expand the availability and diversity of housing assistance programs for all populations impacted by HIV/AIDS.

Half of all people living with HIV/AIDS are estimated to be homeless or dealing with serious housing instability. While Housing Opportunities for People with AIDS (HOPWA) and other federal programs have helped tens of thousands of people, far too few homeless or unstably housed people with HIV/AIDS receive the help they need to improve their lives. New programs such as the National Housing Trust Fund offer hope for delivering more assistance to those in need, and should be enacted immediately by Congress. Congress should also increase funding for HOPWA and other housing services to address high rates of housing instability and homelessness among HIV-positive people. With safe, affordable, and stable housing, people with HIV/AIDS can achieve improved treatment adherence, practice good nutrition, reduce high-risk behaviors, and improve their health outcomes.

7. Make good on promises to enact comprehensive healthcare reform: Federal and state lawmakers should pass legislation expanding access to healthcare for people living with HIV/AIDS and others who lack coverage.

Almost one-half of all people living with HIV in the U.S. receive no treatment whatsoever for their HIV disease—a tragedy of untold proportions for the world’s richest and most powerful country. To remedy this situation, Congress should swiftly (1) enact the Early Treatment for HIV Act to allow states to expand Medicaid coverage to low-income people with HIV before they become disabled; (2) allow AIDS Drug Assistance Program spending on drug costs for Medicare beneficiaries to count toward individuals’ steep out-of-pocket prescription drug spending requirements; and (3) adequately fund the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Treatment Act. In addition, Illinois lawmakers must enact state healthcare expansion proposals that will contain costs and provide coverage for an estimated 1.8 million uninsured Illinoisans, including tens of thousands of low-income people with HIV/AIDS.

8. Permit and fund expedited partner therapy to reduce sexually transmitted diseases (STDs): To stem the spread of sexually transmitted diseases, Illinois should follow other jurisdictions and allow physicians to provide antibiotics to the partners of people newly diagnosed with STDs.

Expedited Partner Therapy (EPT), recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), would allow doctors to treat the partners of individuals diagnosed with Chlamydia or gonorrhea without a physical examination. Given ample evidence that STDs fuel HIV transmission, expedited partner therapy is a safe and effective strategy to reduce untreated STDs and prevent HIV.

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Printable Document (PDF)

Introduction

Summary

Prevention

Care

Illinois HIV/AIDS Statistics

Printable Illinois HIV/AIDS Statistics (PDF)