HIV/AIDS Funding Cuts
Thursday, November 5th, 2009Despite the recession, the state actions to HIV – along with the commitment of enough resources to accomplish comprehensive access to HIV prevention and treatment, fully fund AIDS research and strengthen underlying health systems – cannot be compromise while waiting for the economy to spark. Present economic downturn across the US, budget cuts is not surprising. However, this fact doesn’t diminish the pain of the $85 million budget slash aimed at AIDS programs across California. Hardest hit in the cuts are HIV education and prevention programs, testing and counseling services, home services and early intervention services. The Governor has recognized the difficult decision to cut AIDS programs. Spending on health care generates economic activity, supports jobs, and creates income as it “surges” through the economy, and becomes greater than the actual amount spent. Economists call this phenomenon a “multiplier effect”. Good example is, recent analysis estimated that million in state spending on social program in California generates about ,000 in sales taxes that go back to the state and local governments. Contrariwise, when spending on health care is cut, it has a negative economic impact that is even greater than the amount cut. This impact is further exacerbated because the additio n of federal funding creates a significant increase in purchasing power. Therefore, when health care spending is cut, the effects [resonate/oscillates/reverberates] throughout the economy.
The Governor’s budget proposal has a direct and significant negative effect on the access to healthcare for millions of Californians. The governor’s budget proposal would mean 2 million Californians overall would directly lose health coverage, and another 400,000 would lose coverage due to job and economic impacts. Millions more would have scaled down benefits and faced heightened barrier in access to health care. A large and consistent body of research has shown that the uninsured people live sicker and die younger, leading to a less productive workforce.
The planned reduction of the state’s general fund contribution to AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP) and other AIDS services, including counseling, testing and home-based care, would also result to widespread HIV infections and deaths.Each year in California, an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 people become infected. About one in five are unaware that they have the infection. California has one of the highest infection rates in the U.S. with more than 100,000 people living with HIV/AIDS, according to the California Department of Public Health Office of AIDS. The state´s ability to identify people living with AIDS/HIV is now severely paralyzed—creating an gigantic impediment to the prevention of new infections and linking those who need it to treatment. Not only will the Governor´s apathetic funding cuts ravage those living with HIV/AIDS who rely on the services the state provides to stay alive and healthy, but today’s cuts also pose a serious threat to our shared responsibility to combat the spread of HIV in California.


