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

On April 4, the AIDS Foundation of Chicago presented to Speaker Madigan and Senate President Emil Jones over 300 letters from advocates—many handwritten—urging an AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP) funding increase. ADAP provides essential life-saving medications to 3,300 low-income Illinois residents living with HIV. Governor Blagojevich included a $2 million increase for ADAP in his FY 2007 budget proposal, but $3 million is needed to keep this critical program strong. Later that week, the General Assembly missed its April 7 scheduled adjournment date without passing a final budget. As budget negotiations continue, AFC continues to call for a $3 million increase for ADAP.

On March 29, 66 members of the Illinois House of Representatives wrote to Illinois House Speaker Michael J. Madigan calling for a $3 million increase for ADAP. The letter was circulated by Reps. Larry McKeon (D-Chicago), Sara Feigenholtz (D-Chicago), and Constance A. “Connie” Howard (D-Chicago).

Update: March 29, 2006
On March 29, 66 members of the Illinois House of Representatives wrote to Illinois House Speaker Michael J. Madigan calling for a $3 million increase for the AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP). ADAP provides essential life-saving medications to 3,300 low-income Illinois residents living with HIV. Governor Blagojevich included a $2 million increase for ADAP in his budget proposal, but $3 million is needed to keep this critical program strong. To read the letter and see a list of the members who signed, click here.

The letter was circulated by Reps. Larry McKeon (D-Chicago), Sara Feigenholtz (D-Chicago), and Constance A. “Connie” Howard (D-Chicago).

Next week, the AIDS Foundation of Chicago will present to Speaker Madigan and Senate President Emil Jones hundreds of letters from advocates urging an ADAP funding increase. It’s not too late to add your voice to the call for a strong ADAP program. If you have not yet written a letter, please send one today.

Update: March 27, 2006
The Illinois Senate unanimously passed H.B. 4302, which helps low-income and HIV-positive Medicare beneficiaries afford Medicare’s new prescription drug coverage plan. The bill now goes to Governor Rod Blagojevich for his signature. The new law takes effect January 1, 2007.

H.B. 4302 not only provides significant health benefits to HIV-positive Medicare beneficiaries but also makes good fiscal sense. Under H.B. 4302, the State will pay about 63% less for HIV/AIDS medications by helping Medicare-eligible clients afford prescriptions through the Illinois Cares Rx program instead of the AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP). The bill allows the State to transfer the majority of costs for AIDS medications to the federal Medicare program, keeping ADAP available for people who have no other means of obtaining life-saving HIV/AIDS drugs. With rising enrollment, higher drug costs, and clients needing services for longer time periods, ADAP is facing a budget short-fall next fiscal year and will need $3 million in new state funding to sustain services. Any effort to lower ADAP costs is therefore especially needed. For more information, see the fact sheet posted online.

AFC thanks House sponsor Rep. Sara Feigenholtz (D-Chicago) and Senate sponsor Sen. Carol Ronen (D-Chicago) for their leadership on this issue. AFC also thanks our organizational partners, Health & Disability Advocates and the AIDS Legal Council of Chicago, who helped develop the legislation, and the hundreds of advocates who lobbied for the bill during the 2006 Caring for our Community: 2006 HIV/AIDS Lobby Day.

Background:
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 the state, 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 Blagojevich and the state legislature, Illinois has so far avoided cost control measures, which would deny people with HIV/AIDS life-saving medications. An increase in state funds will likely be needed in FY 2007.

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