More Than 1,500 People on ADAP Waiting Lists in Nine States, NASTAD Report Says

The number of people on waiting lists nationwide for enrollment in AIDS Drug Assistance Programs has decreased from 1,629 in June to 1,518 this month, according to the latest "ADAP Watch" released on Wednesday by the National Alliance of State and Territorial AIDS Directors (NASTAD release, 8/4). ADAPs, which are state-managed, federally funded programs, provide HIV treatment to low-income, uninsured and underinsured HIV-positive individuals (Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report, 6/30). According to the "ADAP Watch," Alabama, Alaska, Idaho, Iowa, Kentucky, Montana, North Carolina, South Dakota and West Virginia have ADAP waiting lists. Alabama, Arkansas, Indiana, Minnesota, Missouri, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, Utah and Washington have implemented additional cost-containment strategies since April 2003. In addition, Massachusetts, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey and Oregon are anticipating new or additional restrictions during fiscal year 2004, which ends March 31, 2005 (NASTAD release, 8/4). President Bush in June announced that the administration would make available $20 million for ADAPs in states with waiting lists (Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report, 6/30). However, because the funding covers patients who had registered as of June 21, the 127 people on waiting lists who registered after that date may not be covered by the initiative, according to NASTAD. "We are not surprised that the number of people on waiting lists for medications continues to grow even after the president's initiative was announced," NASTAD Executive Director Julie Scofield said, adding, "This is an ongoing, severe crisis in which many states are desperately struggling to provide these life-saving medications to people in need. Programs continue to face the need to make difficult decisions to keep programs solvent" (NASTAD release, 8/4).