Health insurance premiums and copays can empty a bank account fast—but going uninsured is no answer either. Emergency stopgaps can help HIVers who need coverage now.

AIDS Drug Assistance Programs (ADAPs) provide HIV-related prescription drugs to the low-income un- and underinsured. The federal program is administered locally, and state programs vary. Many ADAPs have insufficient funds to assist all qualifiers, so expect waiting lists, strict eligibility criteria and limited drug formularies. For info on your state’s ADAP, visit www.atdn.org/access/index.html; for general ADAP information: www.projinf.org/org/ADAP.html.

Health Insurance Continuation Program (HICP) pays monthly premiums for ADAP-eligible HIVers in New Jersey. Not all states offer similar programs. To find out if yours does, click on “ADAPs” at www.aegis.com/factshts/network/access/index.html.

For more about COBRA, drop by www.cobrainsurance.com. Your local ASO (www.thebody.com/hotlines/other.html) can also answer coverage questions.