AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) has criticized California state officials for planning draconian budget cuts that will jeopardize the public health by eliminating all funding for AIDS care and treatment from the state’s General Fund.
The state action came on the heels of Tuesday’s state election where five ballot measures to address the state’s burgeoning budget deficit were voted down and; as a result, in response to the $21 billion and growing deficit now facing California.
“The fact remains that AIDS is a communicable disease. California’s slash and burn approach to eliminating funding for the care and treatment of those afflicted by this public health epidemic is totally wrong-headed. As a result of its actions, the state could actually end up killing many poor Californians living with HIV/AIDS,” said Michael Weinstein, President of AIDS Healthcare Foundation. “In addition, these draconian cuts—$170 million in total from the General Fund—will also trigger $322 million in additional lost matching federal and private AIDS dollars. The state is destroying a crucial public health safety net by decimating over $400 million in AIDS treatment, care and support services. And in the end, the state will still be responsible for the care of many of these patients who will end up seek far more costly care in overloaded emergency units throughout the state. These cuts would be catastrophic if they are implemented.”
Governor Schwarzenegger’s budget proposal wipes out $170 million that the Legislature appropriated for General Fund-supported AIDS programs, including $96 million for the jointly funded state/federal AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP) which serves over 35,000 low income Californians. The state currently gets $88 million in matching ADAP federal funds; however, in order to receive these matching funds, California must meet a ‘maintenance of effort’ requirement, and by cutting all state ADAP funding, the state fails this requirement and will lose out on the $88 million in matching federal dollars.