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Thanks to $8.4 million in federal
emergency funding, Georgia has eliminated its waiting list for the state AIDS
Drug Assistance Program (ADAP).
The wait list was initiated just
over two years ago and at one point was the largest among states with lists.
Demand for ADAP was largely prompted by the economic downturn in which people
lost their jobs and health insurance. Concurrently, the Georgia Department of
Public Health (GDPH) boosted HIV testing initiatives statewide.
“The reduction of our wait list to
zero is a remarkable accomplishment, especially considering where we were in
2011,” Brenda Fitzgerald, Georgia’s public health commissioner, said Friday.
The federal funds also allowed state
officials to move more than 350 ADAP patients to an insurance pool for people
with pre-existing conditions established under the Affordable Care Act,
creating more spots for those low-income patients in need. “Eliminating the
waiting list required extraordinary work and ingenuity,” noted Patrick O’Neal,
director of health protection for GDPH.
Jeff Graham, executive director of
the LGBT advocacy group Georgia Equality, commended state and federal officials
for their efforts in addressing ADAP wait lists. However, he worries about the
long-term viability of the program. Noting that he has seen three waiting lists
come and go since moving to Georgia more than two decades ago, “I really hope
it doesn’t come back for a fourth time.”
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is
dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and
empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV
virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
