This week marks Governor Bruce Rauner’s 100th day in office. The AIDS Foundation of Chicago (AFC) has issued a “report card” grading his work on issues affecting those living with and vulnerable to HIV during his first 100 days .
In Illinois, less than 50% of people living with HIV are linked to care and virally suppressed. HIV continues to ravage communities of...
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On April 15, 50 advocates traveled to Springfield to speak to their elected officials and demand a stop to Governor Bruce Rauner's proposed budget cuts to HIV funding, Medicaid and the African American HIV/AIDS Response Act Fund. These funds provide essential programs and services that keep HIV-positive individuals and those vulnerable to HIV healthy. The governor’s proposed cuts are...
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Stigma: In and Out is a monthly series profiling the clients, providers and leaders of AFC's Corrections Case Management program, which helps HIV-positive people emerging from prison or jail get the support they need upon reentry.
Larry Hill is a 50-year-old returning citizen currently residing in Chicago. Hill desires to be an advocate and speak up for those impacted by stigma,...
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This article is the first in AFC’s Cuts to the Cascade series, which focuses on the people, programs and communities representing columns of the HIV treatment cascade . All of the Cuts to the Cascade subjects are under threat of losing vital state support as a result of Governor Rauner’s proposed cuts to the Illinois budget.
If one pill could...
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This week, Coventry Health Plan announced that it would dramatically reduce out-of-pocket costs for HIV medications in individual plans purchased on Health Insurance Marketplaces established under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The change comes in response to requests from advocates, including AIDS Foundation of Chicago (AFC) and AIDS Legal Council of Chicago (ALCC).
“We thank...
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Testimony presented by the AIDS Foundation of Chicago (AFC) last week before the Illinois House Human Services Appropriations Committee aimed to show how Illinois' Medicaid redetermination efforts could have a significant impact on people living with HIV across the state.
Director of Government Affairs Dan Frey presented his testimony on March 3 and argued that Medicaid redetermination...
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This January, the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS) released a final concept paper outlining its intention to establish Medicaid Health Homes. In a huge victory, the final paper explicitly included HIV as one the conditions that can be managed by a Health Home. In December 2014, AFC submitted comments urging Illinois to included HIV as one of the chronic...
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The year 2015 ushers in significant changes in political leadership in Illinois, with Governor Bruce Rauner taking office as the state’s first Republican chief executive officer in 12 years. He has proposed a reckless budget with devastating cuts to HIV funding and Medicaid, and supportive housing is under attack.
In the midst of these troubling changes, the AIDS Foundation of Chicago...
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Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner today proposed a $31.5 billion budget for the state’s next fiscal year that contains draconian cuts to the Illinois Department of Public Health and HIV services. The state’s last fiscal year saw $26 million appropriated for HIV-related services, but Rauner proposed slashing HIV services in FY 2016 to $20 million, a nearly 25% reduction. ...
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Are you having trouble paying for your HIV medication? Do you feel your insurance company’s high cost sharing amounts for HIV medications are discriminatory? Tell us ; we want to hear from you!
Last week, the AIDS Foundation of Chicago and AIDS Legal Council of Chicago submitted letters to three health insurance companies in Illinois – Humana , Coventry and Health...
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