Forcing people with HIV to face waiting lists for medical appointments and medications is no way to balance budgets

Jul 10 2004

In response to yesterday's vote by the House of Representatives Labor/HHS Appropriations Subcommittee to provide no new HIV/AIDS funding to Title I of the Ryan White CARE Act, the AIDS Healthcare Foundation -- the US' largest non-profit HIV organization -- released the following statement from Cesar Portillo, chief of public affairs:

"We are seeing 40,000 new HIV infections in the US every year, but the federal government just cut back AIDS grants to many cities. And states continue drawing up waiting lists for HIV medication programs because local coffers remain in deficit mode. So yesterday's vote by the House subcommittee is frankly unacceptable. We call on federal authorities and the Congress to not only increase funds for medical care in Title I, but to also ensure monies already appropriated give the highest priority to medications and medical care. Forcing people with HIV to face waiting lists for medical appointments and medications is no way to balance budgets."