Within the U.S., people living with HIV who are low-income and/or uninsured are usually eligible state-based assistance (known as AIDS Drug Assistance Programs, ADAP for short), because HIV medications are extremely expensive, but are often the difference between life and death. Except that, thanks to the recession, many of these programs are running out of funds and having to start waiting lists — so people who can’t afford life-saving treatment… well, don’t get treatment, usually get much sicker than they would otherwise, and eventually lack-of-treatment can lead to death. So it’s kind of a big deal.
ADAP waiting lists were pretty common during the early part of the 2000s, but vanished by the middle of the decade. Now they’re back with a vengeance, hitting all-time highs. In 2010, I was TheBody.com’s beat reporter on this.
- September 2010 ADAP Update: The Sprinklers Are On, but the Water Pressure’s Low (September 28, 2010)
- July ADAP Update: State and Federal Programs Get an A for Effort, but Waiting Lists Keep Growing (July 28, 2010)
- What Does an ADAP Waiting List Really Mean? A Look at the Deepening Crisis From HIV/AIDS Service Organizations’ Point of View (July 8, 2010)
- South Carolina’s HIV/AIDS Budget Slashed; ADAP Waiting Lists Get Even Longer (March 28, 2010)
- More Than a Statistic: One Woman’s Story About Losing ADAP Coverage (January 6, 2010)
