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Off Topic Forums => Off Topic Forum => Topic started by: Tucsonwoody on December 20, 2006, 11:02:43 am

Title: Bush approves Ryan White CARE Act for three more years
Post by: Tucsonwoody on December 20, 2006, 11:02:43 am
FYI

December 20, 2006

 President Bush on Tuesday signed a bill shifting AIDS money to rural areas and the South. The House on December 9 agreed by voice vote to renew the $2.1 billion-annual Ryan White CARE Act. The Senate passed the bill earlier after senators from New York and New Jersey dropped their opposition, accepting a compromise that settled months of dispute just as Congress adjourned for the year.

Lawmakers from some urban areas feared losing money under a five-year renewal of the law. The final deal renews it for three years. That allows earlier reviews of the formulas for distributing money and eliminates the large dollar cuts in the final years that threatened some areas.

AIDS began as a big-city epidemic affecting mainly gay white men. The updates, the first since 2000, aim to spread money more equally around the country.

Current law had only counted patients with full-blown AIDS. The revision also counts patients with the HIV virus who have not developed AIDS. That change favors the South and rural areas, for example, where the disease is a newer phenomenon. (Deb Riechmann, AP)
Title: Re: Bush approves Ryan White CARE Act for three more years
Post by: Grinch on December 20, 2006, 04:19:40 pm
There might actually be a program within 100 miles of me now?
Title: Re: Bush approves Ryan White CARE Act for three more years
Post by: tcellsnaction on December 20, 2006, 07:09:09 pm
Hey there....

I am sorry but this administration has turned this reauth into a joke....and its not funny....kaisernetwork reported on the 11th that Bush signed the bill, then today I got an email letting me know that he was signing the bill and the ceremony was not public....I know one thing....this reauth shows no respect for people with HIV/AIDS in this country.

The reporting issue was not just about people with full blown aids....it was because many urban ciities were using a code based reporting system because they have been dealing with the disease for so long.  This was done for confidentiality reasons.  Over the years as the disease migrated into the rural communities, and as an attempt to control the urban funding issues the names based reporting system was developed.  That is where larger cities such as New York and San Francisco stood to lose MILLIONS of CARE funding in the upcoming year if the compromise was not reached.  At least next year we are guaranteed a potential loss of only 5% cuts next year with none years two and three.

I came to SF from a rural town in western NC in 2005 (weighing 106 lbs and weeks from deaths door) and fully comprehend and want the dollars to be shared fairly  but the system that was proposed just put disproportionate amounts into the rural communities without consideration for those who had migrated from rural communities to urban settings for CARE.  And it also tried to only count newly diagnosed cases and disregarded people who have been living with the disease for years....A friend that went to the Congressional hearings said while there, a guy stood up and yelled from the gallery that he wasn't going to be counted!

Most CARE Bills are reauthorized for five years, but this is only for three years so that it did not fall into an election year and supposedly community forums and meetings will be conducted starting next year as an attempt to overhaul the CARE system.  I fully support this effort...they might start with the ADAP program where CA has no waiting list but places like NC have a several hundred person waiting list....and the money all came from the same bank....

Plus there is also a new twist to this Bill......75%/25%......75% of CARE $$$ must be spent of core medical services, which initially did not include case management.  Even now they still have not defined what medical case management will entail....and the 25% is expected to cover all the other AIDS related issues.....YIKES!

So this Bill is welcome (for me, mainly because more delay means greater delays in funding for client services), and so are the fresh eyes that will be taking a look at it....I encourage anyone interested to find out more and get involved because eventually if we live long enough the funding will disappear and become a part of AIDS care in another country......

I must be feeling better..... :)
Title: Re: Bush approves Ryan White CARE Act for three more years
Post by: tcellsnaction on December 21, 2006, 06:46:25 pm
Here is the side by side comparison if anyone is interested....

http://www.kff.org/hivaids/upload/7531-03.pdf (http://www.kff.org/hivaids/upload/7531-03.pdf)

HAPPY HOLIDAYS


Ray
Title: Re: Bush approves Ryan White CARE Act for three more years
Post by: Grinch on December 21, 2006, 10:12:21 pm
Why is spending 75% of the money to actually care for patients bad? I'd rather see the money go to meds then things like "retreats" for the Administrators.
Spreading the money around so everyone gets some help, not just urban areas is bad how?
Passing the bill for 3 years gives us a chance to change it for the better. So....locking it in for 5 years is better in what way?

The new congress will be able to change things under a three year plan.  Under a 5 year plan they can't.
Title: Re: Bush approves Ryan White CARE Act for three more years
Post by: Tucsonwoody on December 21, 2006, 10:40:35 pm
Here is a link to another thread where I posted some info mainly about the politcal crap from both parties that resulted in current RWA.

http://forums.poz.com/index.php?topic=7024.0

Kevin
Title: Re: Bush approves Ryan White CARE Act for three more years
Post by: Eldon on December 22, 2006, 01:26:38 am
(http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o134/forfun_06/TaiwanDance.jpg)
Supporting You

Hey Kevin ...

Now it is up to us to prepare for the next renewal period and get everyone involved with this very much needed resource.

Take care of YOU!



"Don't Give Up, Don't Give In... Cause it is ALL within you to WIN!"
Title: Re: Bush approves Ryan White CARE Act for three more years
Post by: tcellsnaction on December 23, 2006, 05:25:45 am
Grinch,

I am sorry but CARE money does not pay for retreats, I am an in AIDS administration and have been living with AIDS (not HIV) for 19 and 1/2 years.  The reason 75% is bad is because it leaves only 25 % for food, housing, etc. residential substance abuse treatments, etc.....are you one of those people who want to see a bunch of homeless "healthy" people with aids without housing or food? 

It was reauthed for three years only because it was a compromise with the newly DEMOCRATIC Congress.....Why was the signing not public the other day?  Oh yeah...maybe it was because President Bush was too busy preparing for yet another interruption of morning television broadcast and it wasn't on the REPUBLICAN agenda..

Quite simply, please don't be fooled that this is not politics.....at it's worst....I am pissed that the Democrats compromised because the current bill could have been pushed....Really, do we think that suddenly the Congress is going to accept responsibility for ending the services to MILLIONS of people under the CARE ACT?.....I don't think so...since image is the most important thing...not the work itself...

But that's politics for you....

I encourage anyone interested to seek beyond yesterdays news to find out the latest updates today....I get them... ;D
Title: Re: Bush approves Ryan White CARE Act for three more years
Post by: Grinch on December 23, 2006, 11:11:01 am
Quote
are you one of those people who want to see a bunch of homeless "healthy" people with aids without housing or food? 

Healthy people can work.  Working people can eat. Working people can afford housing.
I hear many on these forums stating they don't have the money for meds. I certainly wouldn't without insurance. CARE should be focused on the medical needs of HIV and AIDS patients.  There are other programs available for food, housing and other living expenses.

  This has nothing to do with politics for me, I wish everyone would focus on the problems, not the politics.

Regarding retreats etc. We have members of this very forum that constantly tell everyone about going to retreats, groups that have paid people to attend meetings, all paid by their various publicly funded AIDS groups.  Some of these same people complain that they have no money, they want more of my tax money because they can't eat. They then turn around and tell us about their TWO convertibles and tell us how they would never drive any thing else. We have members talking about needing and receiving assistance from a food bank then turn around and talk about the fact that they have top shelf booze available for a party. Personally I'm more than happy to help everyone get the meds they need.  I'm not so quick to want to provide Cuervo 1800 for people that are too sick to work.

 Regarding a public signing of the bill.  Who cares.  It got signed. Do you think a public signing would have added more money to the bill?
So many people here blame everything on Bush and "The Administration" Do you really think things will be significantly different in two years?

Maybe we should spend a bit of energy identifying and solving the problems, instead of standing around pointing fingers and screaming..."It's all his fault!"

   I thank you for taking an active role in an AIDS administration. Please continue helping those that need the help.  Try to take a step back from the politics and do whats right for everyone regardless of which side of the aisle people are from.
Title: Re: Bush approves Ryan White CARE Act for three more years
Post by: tcellsnaction on December 23, 2006, 11:58:29 am
First of all....thank you for your gratitude but I am also a full-time advocate for the past 19 1/2 years and that is used in my role in AIDS administration....My job as in administration is to listen to the politics and it makes me sick!!!

I know nothing about you or if your only involvement in advocacy is keeping an eye on threads and making comments or if you are an HIV advocate because it appears from your response you talk a lot about the boasters online.....well I don't work at that level.....i work in the shit.....with the people that have no teeth, no food, no home......and I do it everyday except when I break away for "my time"

I can't step back from the politics....why????

Because I also work 3 part time jobs to make ends meet so that I don't end up like the people I advocate for who come see me with know place to go and an 8 year housing waiting list. 

And no, I am not healthy enough to work and do not have insurance because I simply can't afford it....

Please do not be so judgemental that :

A: you know anything really about me other than what I allow you to know.....but here's a clue.....I myself was 1 step away from being on the street just days ago
B: don't judge the entire HIV CARE system on the banter you hear on these threads from people you probably only know from these conversations
C: you tell me to take a step back from the politics because the reality is money is power .....
D: you think that everyone in AIDS drives convertibles (I take the bus with stinky deranged alcoholic mental cases everyday and so do my coworkers) and we work in the heart of prostitutes and drug land.

and finally
E: you think I care about the glamor of a hollywood like signing...you missed the point...and if you stepped back to look at how the system is going to be fixed you will find that step one is .....
drum rolll......overcoming the hurdles of politics.....

Also please do not take my comments personally because they are not intended to be directed at you....I don't know you...and I don't presume to pursue an attack on your integrity or thoughts...but life outside these threads feeds my pulse...and its the pulse of people that are in need..

If people are doing what you say they are doing with respect to mismanagement of funds, that is not universal and those things should be addressed at the local Ryan White Care Council meetings ....that is what they are established for.    I know because I participate in our own....

I wish you well......and I hope you have a safe warm and happy holidays with your loved ones.