The White House says its 2011 budget “expands access to HIV prevention and treatment activities.”
In a narrative, the White House says it will seek to reduce HIV incidence by focusing HIV testing among high-risk groups.
According to the budget office, “the Budget increases resources for the Ryan White Program,” to support care and treatment for those unable to afford care.
The White House also says it will tackle the issue of health disparities by expanding HIV medical services in “populations disproportionately impacted by the epidemic.”
The White House says its investing more than $3 billion in these efforts. We don’t know yet what programs are included in that figure. That’s the key. This year, the federal government is spending nearly $4 billion for all its HIV/AIDS efforts and for the coming year the HIV community was seeking $3.1 billion just for Ryan White programs alone. So despite the White House narrative, funding could still come up short of need.
We’re still digging. Keep watching this space for updates, or sign up for our Twitterfeeds @napwaus