[Update: The section in bold below has been updated to reflect clarifications provided by Michael Rajner.] #

On Monday, the Florida Department of Health will hold the first of several public debates to decide whether to reduce eligibility to Florida’s AIDS Drug Assistance Program (aka ADAP) from 400 percent of the federal poverty level to 200 percent. #

In other words: A person who earns $30,000 a year would not qualify for ADAP. HIV/AIDS drugs cost between $10,000 and $20,000 a year. #

Florida already has the longest waiting list in the U.S. for people seeking to receive their HIV/AIDS medication through the state- and federally funded ADAP. #

Michael Rajner, legislative director of the Florida GLBT Democratic Caucus, tells The Florida Independent that if reduced eligibility is approved, anybody above 200 percent of the federal poverty level will have to go off their medications, causing drug resistance. #

Rajner, who relies on ADAP himself, says that if the eligibility reduction is approved he would not qualify for drugs and would not be financially capable of affording his medicine, forcing him to perhaps discontinue all HIV treatment. He says that he is already suffering from an opportunistic infection, and that his health would continue to decline. #

Rajner adds that “individuals would have to consider terminating treatment for HIV only in the absence of a pharmaceutical patient assistance programs” that may step up “to absorb any individuals potentially terminated from ADAP due to changes in the programs eligibility or funding shortfall.” #

He says the HIV community has no idea when the pharmaceutical companies would hit their philanthropic breaking point with these patient assistance programs. “They are after all, in our capitalistic system, big industry in the business and making profits,” Rajner says. #

“It is great that the state is allowing an opportunity for public input on these changes to ADAP,” Rajner adds, “but any changes to the program at the state level will dramatically impact and harm local programs” throughout the state. #

As an example of this impact, Rajner says that the state is also looking to reduce eligibility according to the number of a person’s T-cells. If your T-cells are below 500, you qualify for treatment, but Florida is looking to reduce this. So unless your T-cells fall below 200, which is a way to define AIDS, you will not receive access to your medications. #

The AIDS Institute released a statement Thursday calling on all Floridians to oppose the Florida Department of Health’s Bureau of HIV/AIDS proposal to reduce eligibility for HIV/AIDS patients. #

Michael Ruppal, executive director of The AIDS Institute, said in a written statement: #

“With almost 8,000 people on ADAP waiting lists nationwide and 3,807 of those in Florida alone, it is clear that the need is significant. Reducing the eligibility to further limit the number of people accessing services only compounds the problem and puts many more lives at risk.”  He went on to say, “This is a time to take action and tell the state how reducing the eligibility criteria for HIV/AIDS services will hurt those in need.” #

The statement adds that the AIDS Insurance Continuation Program, as well as the Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS and possibly more HIV/AIDS programs and services are also looking at reductions. #

Will Rothschild works for Rothschild and Maultsby Media, which handles media relation for Welvista, a South Carolina-based health care network that provides medications at no cost to the uninsured who do not qualify for Medicaid, Medicare or V.A. insurance, and those who cannot afford to pay for insurance coverage on their own. He says the sustainability of ADAP in Florida and 10 other states is in jeopardy. ADAP ran out of money last year, and the federal allocation is not going up this year. #

“It is likely the Florida ADAP will completely run out of money by December or January,” Rothschild says. #

“In Florida, the legislature is just removing themselves of taking care of their citizens,” says Mark King, who manages My Fabulous Disease. “I have been living with HIV for 30 years. I know I wouldn’t be alive today if it wasn’t for medications. We are always telling people know your status, because there are treatments to help you, but then, well you have to be on a waiting list if you want any of those.” #

“It is astounding that Florida would have such a huge waiting list,” King says. “Rather than address the
waiting list by funding things properly, they decided to get rid of the waiting list by changing the eligibility requirements, by knocking everybody on it off the program all together.” #