Early Treatment for HIV Act

Urge your US legislators to support the Early Treatment for HIV Act! 

ETHA addresses a cruel irony in the current Medicaid system—that under current Medicaid rules, people must become disabled by AIDS before they can receive access to Medicaid-provided care that could have prevented them from becoming so ill in the first place.  HIV can take many years to develop into AIDS and on the way can seriously deteriorate the health of the individual.  Additionally, the cost of treatment for someone with advanced AIDS is much higher compared to an individual treated early with HIV.  Due to the protection of the quality of life as well as the cost savings, ETHA is a common sense bill that will help underserved and underrepresented populations in Washington and across the US.

Send an email to Senator Maria Cantwell and your Member of Congress TODAY to encourage them to sign on to this important and life-saving legislation!

Click on the "Tell Me More" link below to learn more about ETHA:

Sample Letter for Campaign

Subject: Support ETHA & Save Lives!

Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,

As your constituent, I am writing to you today to voice my support for the Early Treatment for HIV Act (S 833/HR 1616) and to encourage you to co-sponsor this important piece of legislation.

ETHA gives states the option of readily amending their Medicaid eligibility requirements to extend coverage to pre-disabled poor and low-income people living with HIV. ETHA is modeled after the successful Breast and Cervical Cancer Prevention and Treatment Act of 2000 (BCCA), which has allowed all 50 states to provide early access to Medicaid to women with cancer. As with the BCCA, ETHA includes an enhanced federal match rate of 65-83 percent to encourage states to participate.

ETHA represents a significant step forward by addressing a cruel irony in the current Medicaid system. Under current Medicaid rules, people must become disabled by AIDS before they can receive access to Medicaid-provided care that could have prevented them from becoming so ill in the first place. ETHA brings Medicaid eligibility rules in line with federal government guidelines on the standard of care for treating HIV. ETHA also helps address growing waiting lists for access to life-saving medications and limited access to comprehensive health care in many parts of the country.

The Early Treatment for HIV Act is cost-effective, improves health, reduces HIV-related deaths, and helps prevent the spread of HIV. Please add your name to those of your colleagues by signing on to this life-saving bill.

Sincerely,

Campaign Launched:
June 05, 2009


Background Information

The following information on ETHA has been provided by the HIV Health Care Access Working Group.

What ETHA accomplishes:

ETHA gives states the option of readily amending their Medicaid eligibility requirements to extend coverage to pre-disabled poor and low-income people living with HIV. ETHA is modeled after the successful Breast and Cervical Cancer Prevention and Treatment Act of 2000 (BCCA), which has allowed all 50 states to provide early access to Medicaid to women with cancer. As with the BCCA, ETHA includes an enhanced federal match rate of 65-83 percent to encourage states to participate.

 

ETHA represents a significant step forward:

ETHA addresses a cruel irony in the current Medicaid system—that under current Medicaid rules, people must become disabled by AIDS before they can receive access to Medicaid-provided care that could have prevented them from becoming so ill in the first place. ETHA brings Medicaid eligibility rules in line with federal government guidelines on the standard of care for treating HIV. ETHA also helps address growing waiting lists for access to life-saving medications and limited access to comprehensive health care in many parts of the country.

  

The Early Treatment for HIV Act Is Cost-Effective, Improves Health,

Reduces HIV-Related Deaths, and Helps Prevent the Spread of HIV.