AIDS Issues Update:
Action Alert: Tell Schumer, White House to Include ETHA in Health Reform!
Yes, there is one thing missing from health care reform—ETHA!
The Early Treatment for HIV Act (ETHA) is an important step to improving health care for people with HIV—and would address the cruel fact that in many states people with HIV can’t access Medicaid because they aren’t sick enough to receive it. Although ETHA was included in earlier versions of health care reform, it’s noticeably absent in the latest health care legislation.
But there’s still time! New Yorkers can put pressure on the bill’s Senate sponsor, Senator Chuck Schumer, to include ETHA in the final health care reform bill! Non-New Yorkers can tell President Barack Obama and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to inlcude the bill in health reform legislation!
Pelosi was an original cosponsor of the ETHA legislation, and President Obama is on record supporting ETHA. The bill was included in the original House version of the health care reform legislation, but wasn’t in the Senate bill. They know ETHA is the right thing to do—we just need to put pressure on them to do it!
New Yorkers, call Sen. Schumer at 202-224-6542 and tell him to include his bill, the Early Treatment for HIV Act, in health care reform.
Non-New Yorkers, call Speaker Pelosi at 202-225-4965 and the White House at 202-456-1111, and tell them to include the Early Treatment for HIV Act in health care reform.
With the AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP) in crisis, ETHA represents an important bridge to 2014, when the Medicaid expansion in health care reform goes into effect. Your help is greatly needed and much appreciated!
Your inside source for in-depth activism news is updated daily by Staff Writer, Julie Turkewitz
Comments (1)
Disproprtionately, the rate of new HIV infection is rising in areas that experience traditional and cultural barriers to HIV Health Care. Early Intervention and Early HIV Treatment is paramount in the fight to lower these alarming rates.
Posted by Albert LaCourt, March 10, 2010 at 2:29pm
Dear Senator Schumer,
Please include the Early Treatment for HIV Act, in health care reform legislation.
Thank you,
Vincent Maniscalco
1 Crystal Lake Road
Averill Park, NY 12018
Posted by Vincent Maniscalco, March 10, 2010 at 8:17pm
If we dont get ETHA included in the health care bill we will always be playing catch-up.It will also cost more to treat people who dont find out about there status until theres an AIDS Diagnosis.Once you test positive your sick from that day on. PERIOD.Getting people into early treatment can drastically reduce infection rates which hav,nt changed since day one.The statistics are in a study which was done in San Fransico.It shows that when the numbers of people who go on medication rise, the infection rate decreases significantly.When you are on Anti Viral Meds and undectable you are less likely to pass on this virus.That does not mean you shouldnt practice safer sex by a longshot.
Posted by Philip, March 14, 2010 at 1:27pm