For 26 years, ActionAIDS has been working to increase access to primary care and vital services for people living with HIV/AIDS. We, therefore, applaud the Supreme Court’s recent decision to uphold The Affordable Care Act. When fully implemented in 2014, the Affordable Care Act will increase access to health insurance to low income Americans and people with pre-existing conditions who do not have health insurance coverage through their employers.
While the Affordable Care Act increases access to health insurance for uninsured and underinsured people living with HIV/AIDS, having insurance does not guarantee access to the wide range of services people living with HIV/AIDS need. People living with HIV/AIDS continue to face barriers to care, including poverty, stigma, the bureaucracy of entitlements and large systems of health care delivery. Community based, consumer driven Ryan White Programs provide vital services that help remove those barriers. Maintaining the comprehensive continuum of care and support services provided by the Ryan White Program is essential to achieving the National HIV/AIDS Strategy goals of reducing new infections, increasing access to care and improving health outcomes for people living with HIV/AIDS and reducing HIV-related health disparities.
The Supreme Court upholding the Affordable Care Act is a victory for people living with HIV/AIDS. We now need to insure the reauthorization of the Ryan White Care Act and advocate for full funding of Ryan White Care Services.For more information go to… http://actionaids.org/
