Smith and Clinton Amendment to Assist Individuals with HIV Passes in Final Budget

Press Release

Senators Gordon H. Smith (R-OR) and Hillary Rodham Clinton's (D-NY) amendment to expand access to vital medical services for low-income HIV-positive individuals was adopted in the final 2008 Budget measure passed this week. The amendment was based on the senators' Early Treatment for HIV Act (ETHA), which would provide states the ability to extend Medicaid coverage to low-income, HIV-positive individuals before they develop full-blown AIDS.

"Today's budget represents a true victory in the nation's battle against HIV/AIDS," said Senator Smith. "By providing early treatment to individuals who have been diagnosed with this disease, we can help prevent the progression to AIDS and help individuals with HIV lead healthier and longer lives."

"This is great news for the more than one million Americans living with HIV and AIDS, including more than 100,000 New Yorkers," Senator Clinton said. "Expanding access to early treatment for low income people with HIV will allow them to get the help they need before they get sick and before they need more comprehensive and costly care."

ETHA was developed to supplement safety-net programs across the country that treat individuals with HIV/AIDS. In several cases, these initiatives are running out of money, and as a consequence, they are generally unable to cover all of the people who need assistance paying for their medical care. ETHA provides states with another way to reach out to low-income, HIV-positive individuals and offer health care coverage.

This legislation is supported by the National Association of State and Territorial AIDS Directors, Project Inform, the American Academy of HIV Medicine, the HIV Medicine Association, AIDS Action, and the AIDS Institute.

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