On the recordFebruary 17, 2011
I rise today in support of Amendment 23 offered by Mr. Hastings, my good friend from Florida, which would help people living with HIV/AIDS afford treatment through the vital AIDS Drug Assistance Program. This program, known as ADAP, provides HIV-related prescription drugs to low-income people with HIV/AIDS who have limited or no prescription drug coverage. This essential national program is undeniably in the midst of a devastating funding crisis. The combination of an economic recession, State budget cuts, and increased testing and diagnosis of HIV have created the perfect storm against ADAP's fiscal situation--more patients are requiring ADAP treatment as the program has been emptied out. This has resulted in drastic cuts in services provided and thousands in 10 different States have ended up on waiting lists to receive these necessary lifesaving drugs. In my own State of Florida, with the largest of all such waiting lists, 3,276 individuals languish without access to affordable lifesaving treatment. Our State has lowered financial eligibility down to 300 percent of the Federal poverty level, while at the same time reducing the formulary for the patients who still qualify. This is an enormous problem for a State with the third highest HIV/ AIDS population and the highest rate of new infections in the country.
