AIDS Drug Assistance Program Remains Strong in Illinois

June 7, 2007 -- The AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP) is a joint federal-state funded program established in 1990, which provides HIV treatments and medications to low-income people living with HIV or AIDS. ADAP recipients lack prescription drug coverage or sufficient funds to obtain costly HIV medications on their own. Illinois ranks sixth in the nation for HIV/AIDS cases, and the number of people who need ADAP services continues to grow.
An estimated 1,600 new infections occur each year in Illinois, with more and more individuals relying on ADAP services. Federal support for ADAP has not kept pace with need, forcing many states to institute waiting lists or otherwise limit program growth. Thanks to strong support from Governor Rod Blagojevich and the state legislature, Illinois has so far avoided cost control measures, which would deny people with HIV/AIDS life-saving medications.

Increased state funding helps meet growing need: In FY 2007, Illinois appropriated an additional $2.5 million in state dollars to ADAP, thanks to support from Governor Blagojevich and champions in the General Assembly, including State Sen. Carol Ronen (D-Chicago), State Rep. Sara Feigenholtz (D-Chicago), and State Rep. Larry McKeon (D-Chicago, retired). Governor Blagojevich proposed level funding for ADAP in FY 2008.

Coordination with Medicare Part D stretches scarce ADAP dollars: In 2006 the Illinois legislature created and Governor Blagojevich signed into law a program that has transitioned over 200 former ADAP clients to the Medicare Part D drug program. The new state program helps clients afford the out-of-pocket costs that come with the Medicare drug program, and allows them to obtain their HIV/AIDS medications from Medicare Part D, instead of ADAP. Read more about the new program here.

ADAP Letter to Speaker Madigan (PDF)

House Bill 4302 Fact Sheet (PDF)

Information on Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Benefit

View AFC's ADAP factsheet (PDF)

More ADAP resources from:

The Illinois Department of Public Health

The Kaiser Family Foundation

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

National Alliance of State and Territorial AIDS Directors

KFF/NASTAD 2006 ADAP Monitoring Project, Annual Report

Archived ADAP News

General Assembly Overtime Session Yields Increases in HIV/AIDS Funding

Over 350 Advocates and People with HIV Join Call for Increased ADAP Funds