Statements on Introduced Bills and Joint Resolutions

STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS

By Mr. SMITH (for himself, Mrs. CLINTON, Ms. COLLINS, Mr. BINGAMAN, Ms. CANTWELL, Mr. COLEMAN, Mr. CORZINE, Ms. SNOWE, Mrs. FEINSTEIN, Ms. LANDRIEU, Mrs. MURRAY, Mr. DEWINE, Mr. BAYH, Mr. REED, Mr. KERRY, Mr. SCHUMER, Mr. DAYTON, Mr. WYDEN, Mrs. LINCOLN, Mr. LIEBERMAN, Ms. MIKULSKI, Mr. NELSON of Florida, Ms. STABENOW, Mr. JOHNSON, Mr. LEAHY, Mr. KENNEDY, Mr. FEINGOLD, and Mr. SARBANES):

S. 311. A bill to amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to permit States the option to provide medicaid coverage for low-income individuals infected with HIV; to the Committee on Finance.

Mr. SMITH. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce the Early Treatment for HIV Act, ETHA, of 2005. Senator CLINTON joins me in introducing this bill, and I want to thank her for her steadfast support for people living with HIV. HIV knows no party affiliation, and I am pleased to say that ETHA cosponsors sit on both sides of the aisle.

Simply stated, ETHA gives States the opportunity to extend Medicaid coverage to low-income, HIV-positive individuals before they develop full-blown AIDS. Today, the unfortunate reality is that most patients must become disabled before they can qualify for Medicaid coverage. Nearly 50 percent of people living with AIDS who know their status lack ongoing access to treatment. In my home State of Oregon, there are approximately 4,500 persons living with HIV/AIDS. It is estimated that approximately 40 percent of these Oregonians are not receiving care for their HIV disease. Not being in care puts these people's own health at risk, and also makes them more infectious. We can do better, and we should do everything possible to ensure that all people living with HIV can get early, effective medical care.

Oregon's Ryan White funded AIDS Drug Assistance Program is nearing maximum enrollment and may need to wait list eligible clients in the near future. The fact of the matter is that safety net programs all over the country are running out of money, and are generally unable to cover all of the people who need assistance paying for their medical care. As other programs are failing, ETHA gives States another way to reach out to low-income, HIV-positive individuals.

With approximately 150 newly detected HIV infections in Oregon annually, my state desperately needs to provide early treatment to these individuals. It has been shown that current HIV treatments are very successful in delaying the progression from HIV infection to AIDS, and help improve the health and quality of life for millions of people living with the disease.

Studies conducted by Pricewaterhouse Cooper have found that providing early intervention care significantly delays the progression of HIV and is highly cost-effective. ETHA reduces by 60 percent the death rate of persons living with HIV who received coverage under Medicaid. Disease progression is significantly slowed and health outcomes improved. Medicaid offsets alone reduce gross Medicaid costs by approximately 70 percent due to the prevention of avoidable high cost medical interventions. Research determined that over 5 years the true cost of ETHA is $55.2 million. Over 10 years, ETHA saves $31.7 million. It shows that preventing the health of people living with HIV, preventing opportunistic infections, and slowing the progression to AIDS, will save taxpayers dollars. Ultimately, its clear that in implementing ETHA, the United States will take an important step toward ensuring that all Americans living with HIV can get the medical care they need to stay healthy and productive for as long as possible.

Importantly, ETHA also offers States an enhanced Federal Medicaid match, which means more money for States that invest in treatments for HIV. This provision models the successful Breast and Cervical Cancer Treatment and Prevention Act of 2000, which allows States to provide early Medicaid intervention to women with breast and cervical cancer. Even in these difficult times, 45 States are now offering early Medicaid coverage to women with breast and cervical cancer. We can build upon this success by passing ETHA and extending similar early intervention treatments to people with HIV.

HIV/AIDS touches the lives of millions of people living in every State in the Union. Some get the proper medications, but too many do not. This is literally a life and death issue, and ETHA can help many more Americans enjoy long, healthy lives.

I want to thank Senators CLINTON, COLLINS, BINGAMAN, COLEMAN, CANTWELL, SNOWE, CORZINE, FEINSTEIN, MURRAY, WYDEN, DEWINE, BAYH, REED, KERRY, DAYTON, SCHUMER, LINCOLN, LIEBERMAN, MIKULSKI, NELSON, STABENOW, JOHNSON, SARBANES, LEAHY, KENNEDY, FEINGOLD and LAUTENBERG for joining us as cosponsors of ETHA. I also wish to thank all of the organizations around the country that have expressed support for this bill. I have received numerous support letters from those organizations, and I ask unanimous consent that those letters be printed in the RECORD. In particular, I want to thank the Human Rights Campaign, The AIDS Institute, ADAP Working Group and the Treatment Access Expansion Project, for helping bring so much attention to ETHA. I hope all of my colleagues will join us in supporting this critical, life-saving legislation.

There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in the RECORD, as follows:

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