Congress Considering Medicaid Coverage for Persons with HIV: Call Your Representatives

"Congress is considering including the "Early Treatment for HIV Act" in legislation before it adjourns for the year. Your help is needed immediately!!

"The Early Treatment for HIV Act (H.R. 1591), introduced by Representatives Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Richard Gephardt (D-MO) would give states the option to extend Medicaid coverage to uninsured low-income people living with HIV. Under current rules, most people living with HIV are ineligible for Medicaid until they reach the Social Security definition of disability, which generally includes an AIDS diagnosis and disabling symptoms. If states wish to cover people living with HIV who haven't reached this definition under their Medicaid programs, they have to apply for a Medicaid waiver. That process is lengthy and burdensome. . . ." (Quoted from action alert by Project Inform Treatment Action Network.)

Calls and letters are relevant until Congress either passes the bill, or adjourns for the year. For current information contact the Treatment Action Network, tan@projectinform.org

Copyright 2000 by John S. James. Permission granted for noncommercial reproduction, provided that our address and phone number are included if more than short quotations are used.

Back to the AIDS Treatment News October 20, 2000 contents page.