Congress Considering Medicaid Coverage for Persons with HIV: Call Your Representatives."Congress is considering including the "Early Treatment for HIV Act The Early Treatment for HIV Act (or ETHA) (S. 860 is a bill introduced in the U.S. Senate on March 13, 2007. Sponsored by Senator Gordon Smith (R-OR) and Hillary Clinton (D-NY) with 30 cosponsors, the bill is currently in committee. " in legislation before it adjourns for the year. Your help is needed immediately!! "The Early Treatment for HIV Act (H.R. 1591), introduced by representatives Nancy Pelosi (DCA (1) (Document Content Architecture) IBM file formats for text documents. DCA/RFT (Revisable-Form Text) is the primary format and can be edited. DCA/FFT (Final-Form Text) has been formatted for a particular output device and cannot be changed. ) and Richard Gephardt (D-MO) would give states the option to extend Medicaid coverage to uninsured low-income people living with HIV HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus), either of two closely related retroviruses that invade T-helper lymphocytes and are responsible for AIDS. There are two types of HIV: HIV-1 and HIV-2. HIV-1 is responsible for the vast majority of AIDS in the United States. . Under current rules, most people living with HIV are ineligible for Medicaid until they reach the Social Security definition of disability, which generally includes an AIDS diagnosis and disabling dis·a·ble tr.v. dis·a·bled, dis·a·bling, dis·a·bles 1. To deprive of capability or effectiveness, especially to impair the physical abilities of. 2. Law To render legally disqualified. symptoms. If states wish to cover people living with HIV who haven't reached this definition under their Medicaid programs, they have to apply for a Medicaid waiver. That process is lengthy and burdensome..." (Quoted from action alert by Project Inform Treatment Action Network.) Calls and letters are relevant until Congress either passes the bill, or adjourns for the year. |
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