Kentucky Equality Federation Condemns the Kentucky House Appropriations and Revenue Committee for failure to fund the Kentucky AIDS Drug Assistance Program; declares an AIDS Crisis in Kentucky.

    LEXINGTON, KY, March 21, 2010 /24-7PressRelease/ -- In a proposed commonwealth budget that allocates over $3.4 billion for road projects, a small request of $3.5 million to fund the Kentucky AIDS Drug Assistance Program (KADAP) have been ignored, effectively leaving hundreds living with HIV/AIDS in the Commonwealth to a die.

The cost for HIV/AIDS medication averages around $1,200/month--more than the entire monthly income of most families enrolled in KADAP.

"We've heard stories from people seeking out second mortgages to pay for their medications," say Kentucky Equality Federation President Jordan Palmer and Kentucky HIV/AIDS Advocacy Action Group (KHAAG) President Bobby Edelen. "One person who approached us said, 'with the uncertainty of receiving assistance I am thinking about selling off my life insurance policy' to afford life-sustaining medications. We're back to the 80s."

The nearly 1300 patients enrolled in KADAP, which is currently unfunded, receive medications through a hodge-podge of resources that are temporary and unsustainable. In the meantime, Kentucky has the longest waiting list in the nation for drug assistance--numbering over 160 men and women--with more being added every day.

"When do we come off the waiting list?" asked one HIV/AIDS patient, "When we die?"

People with HIV/AIDS who do not have access to medications are at increased risk for opportunistic infections, more frequent hospitalization (often under indigent status), and early death. In contrast, a person who is taking HIV medications as prescribed and taking care of their health can reasonably expect to live as long as someone without HIV.

"Not funding the Kentucky AIDS Drug Assistance Program is inhumane, shortsighted, and threatens individual and public health," states Palmer, who met with lawmakers six times during the legislative session trying to get KADAP restored; to make matter worse, Kentucky newspapers have completely ignored the severity of this problem, and have not covered the story."

Palmer held several meetings with Representative Tom Burch, Chairman of the House Health and Welfare Committee, DeeAnn Mansfield, Staff Administrator, House Health and Welfare Committee for the Legislative Research Commission, and Representative Jimmie Lee, Chairman of the House Budget Subcommittee on Human Resources.

On February 17, Edelen met with House Representatives to discuss the state of KADAP and other factors causing health care disparities in those living with HIV/AIDS.

"Chairman Tom Burch, a champion for the cause of health equity, asked some very astute questions," noted Edelen. "In those questions, he demonstrated his support for re-funding KADAP and willingness to work on some measures to eradicate the waiting list. However, the House Appropriation and Revenue Committee did not seem willing."

As the commonwealth's budget makes its way through the Senate, time is running out for those who depend on KADAP for their medication. Currently, the Kentucky Legislature is on the 51st day of a 60 day legislative session.

Led by Kentucky Equality Federation, last week, 11 other agencies, organizations, and individuals affirmed that KADAP is a crucial and necessary program for Kentuckians living with HIV/AIDS. This organizations included AVOL (AIDS Volunteers, Inc.), Kentucky HIV/AIDS Advocacy Action Group, Kentucky HIV/AIDS Planning and Advisory Council, COLAGE, United We Stand - Kentucky's LGBTI News , The Wings Clinic, House of Ruth, Moveable Feast, GLSO, UK OUTsource, and the UK Gay-Straight Alliance. Failure to Act by the Kentucky House of Representatives Leaves Hundreds of Kentucky HIV/AIDS Patients with an Uncertain Future.

Yesterday, during an emergency meeting of Kentucky Equality Federation's Board of Directors, a resolution was passed condemning the Appropriations and Revenue Committee of the Kentucky House of Representatives for effectively sentencing Kentuckians to die:

Whereas, the Appropriations and Revenue Committee of the Kentucky House of Representatives has failed to act to restore funding to the Kentucky AIDS Drug Assistance Program ("KADAP"), leaving hundreds living with HIV/AIDS without life saving medications.

Whereas, the 1,300 patients enrolled in KADAP, which is currently unfunded, receive medications through a hodge-podge of resources that are temporary and unsustainable.

Whereas, Kentucky has the longest waiting list in the nation for drug assistance, numbering over 170 men and women with more added daily.

Whereas, Federation President Jordan Palmer and other volunteers have visited the Capitol six (6) times during the 2010 legislation session to urge restoration of funding for KADAP without success due to Kentucky's current financial crisis, as well as partisan politics. The President and other volunteers and/or allied organizations reported that key lawmakers with control over the Commonwealth's budget are unable or unwilling to fund KADAP.

Whereas, the Kentucky Legislature is currently on the fiftieth day (50th) of a sixty day (60) legislative session, the probability of funding KADAP becomes infinitesimal with each passing day.

Whereas, 11 other Kentucky organizations, groups, or agencies joined the Federation in affirming that KADAP is a crucial and necessary program for Kentuckians living with HIV/AIDS.

Whereas, Kentucky citizens with HIV/AIDS will likely die without KADAP:
"At a meeting with the editorial on March 16, 2010, Dr. Francis Collins, the director of the National Institutes of Health, stated that in the 1980s, a 21-year-old diagnosed with HIV could expect to live just one year. Today, a 21-year-old who becomes HIV-positive has a life expectancy of 70. Dr. Collins noted the impact of anti-retroviral treatments that lower the level of HIV in the blood and boost immune systems."

Resolved, the Federation is committed to securing peace, liberty, and equality for all Kentuckians, which by de facto must include their health and well-being.

Resolved further, the Federation will continue to work with all organizations, both state and national, to bring money to Kentucky to assist people with HIV/AIDS in paying for their life saving medications.

Resolved further, the Federation hereby condemns the inaction of the Appropriations and Revenue Committee of the House of Representatives for failure to secure the safety, and thereby the health of its citizens as provided under Section I of the Constitution of Kentucky by failing to fund KADAP.

Resolved further, the Federation hereby condemns the inaction of the Appropriations and Revenue Committee of the House of Representatives for ignoring the signatures of over 5,000 Kentuckians who individually requested KADAP be restored (over 400 within the past week alone) thereby violating Section IV of the Constitution of Kentucky.

Resolved further, the Federation believes and hereby declares an AIDS Crisis in the Commonwealth to its subscribers, members, followers, supporters, and allied organizations. The Federation urges all subscribers, members, followers, and supporters to practice safe sex and education themselves about the virus and methods of transmission; AIDS Volunteers, Inc. (AVOL) provides free testing and educational material to 72 Kentucky counties.

Resolved further, the Federation urges the Appropriations and Revenue Committee of the Kentucky House of Representatives to allocate funds to KADAP posthaste.

Resolved further, the Secretary of the Board of Directors shall email a copy of this resolution to every member of the Appropriations and Revenue Committee of the Kentucky House of Representatives.

Kentucky Equality Federation Condemns the Kentucky House Appropriations and Revenue Committee; declares an AIDS Crisis in Kentucky. Original Press Release.

About Kentucky Equality Federation

Kentucky Equality Federation is Kentucky's largest all-volunteer grassroots lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex ("LGBTI") civil rights and advocacy organization. Kentucky Equality Federation is a diverse organization consisting of several corporations and groups with a common cause for Peace, Liberty, and Equality for All. For addition information, contact us at (877) KEF-5775.

Website: http://www.kyequality.org

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