Statement from Secretary Sebelius on Reallocating $25 Million for AIDS Drug Assistance

WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services took an important step to improve access to critical HIV/AIDS prescription drugs. The $25 million reallocated for AIDS drug assistance provides resources to States that have AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP) waiting lists or have implemented strategies to contain costs and delay or prevent a waiting list.

This week, we improved access to critical HIV/AIDS prescription drugs and are continuing to work towards preventing, and ultimately eliminating, the need for ADAP waiting lists. Governors will soon receive a letter detailing how to access these funds. The Administration has been steadily increasing funding and while this is a significant infusion of funds, on top of more than $800 million already specifically allocated to the ADAP Program this year, the Federal government cannot do this alone—States and Pharmaceutical companies also need to do their part.

Improving access to care and treatment for people living with HIV is a top priority for HHS. These funds are just one part of a broader effort we are making to improve the health status of people living with HIV. Created under the Affordable Care Act, the Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan will provide a new health coverage option for Americans who have been uninsured for at least six months and have been unable to get health coverage because of a health condition—including HIV. This option will be available until 2014, when insurers will be banned from discriminating against adults with pre-existing conditions.

For more information, see the fact sheet: www.hhs.gov/news/facts/adap.html

To learn more about the Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan, please visit: www.healthcare.gov/law/about/provisions/pcip/

To learn more about HIV, please visit www.AIDS.gov.

Note: All HHS press releases, fact sheets and other press materials are available at http://www.hhs.gov/news.



CONTACT:

HHS Press Office
202-690-6343

KEYWORDS:   United States  North America  District of Columbia

INDUSTRY KEYWORDS:   Health  AIDS  Public Policy/Government  Healthcare Reform  Pharmaceutical  Public Policy  State/Local  White House/Federal Government  Managed Care

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