June 15, 2009

Arizona ADAP Faces Budget Cuts

Beginning July 1, Arizona’s Department of Health Services (DHS) will no longer pay for more than 130 medications that help low-income or uninsured HIV-positive residents manage HIV-related complications and drug side effects, The Arizona Republic reports. The coverage plan cutbacks are due to the southwestern state not receiving the total amount of requested federal funding for its AIDS drug assistance program (ADAP).

According to the article, Arizona’s ADAP serves 1,100 people throughout the state and costs about $14 million annually. DHS officials had hoped to receive $13 million but were instead granted $2.3 million less than the amount needed to fully fund the program.  The drugs that have been cut back from the program include antibiotics, pain-relievers, psychotropic drugs for depression and anxiety and medications that control chronic conditions such as diabetes and high cholesterol.

Medical experts and HIV advocates are concerned about the cuts because with 13,000 Arizonians living with the virus and an estimated 4,000 who unknowingly may be positive, Arizona is a “moderate-to-high incidence” state.

“The implications of this are very serious,” said Jennifer Lewis, director of wellness and life management at the Southwest Center for HIV/AIDS in Phoenix. “The concern is that more people will become suicidal, harm themselves and harm others because their quality of life has diminished so significantly.”

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Previous Comments:

Donnie, Seattle, wa., 2009-06-17 03:42:19
M.J , i moved from Texas to Seattle, for better medical care too! the medical care in Texas is not alot better. Seattle has one of the best hiv programs in the u.s also, check it out!

larry Doisher, Dayton, 2009-06-16 13:55:59
IImportant to remember, as we see more of these reports coming from States, the health care system is changing, for the better, the insiders, Govenors/Directors, know this, Obama let on about it yesterday. Funding is being reduced because it will shift to a one payer insurance plan that covers all our meds. Ryan White and ADAP will remain to qualify us for the new plan. Please, I wish state officials do not use reduction news to scare us patients!!! And, insiders, please post your knwldg

Bill, Long Beach, 2009-06-16 12:22:22
If you put all govt employees in the US govt on Medicare, you'll see a basic healthplan within 24 hours, plus medication coverage! Otherwise put us on the Federal Health Plan that Clinton was going to do!!!! Those political bozos want to keep the American people poor and uneducated. That's what all elite rich people, politicians and corporations do, control the lower classes by dangling "carrots" in front of them. SHAME SHAME SHAME!!!

M.J., mpls., 2009-06-16 11:28:44
YES AZ. HAS ALWAYS SCREWED THE POZ. AND WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO THERE POZ. HEALTH IS AT BEST POOR. AND IS SOME OF THE WORST CARE IN THE U.S. THIS IS WHY I MOVED TO MN. THIS IS THE BEST HIV. CARE IN THE US. THR DR,S IN AZ. ARE SOME OF THE BEST, THE CARE LIMITS ON THEM THE WORST, IT MAKES GOOD DR,S LOOK BAD I LIKE MY DR.S IM MN. THEY ARE THE BEST IN THE US. CHECK THE LOCAL AND FED. STATS. MN. AS A STATE HAS MORE AND THE BEST HIV. CARE IN THE WORLD, STATS PROVE IT,IF U NEED 2 MOVE 4 BETTER CARE.