Health
Ohio cuts funds from ADAP program
Ohio cuts funds from ADAP program
By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Private Policy and Terms of Use.
Ohio cuts funds from ADAP program
The Ohio Department of Health has cut nearly $1.4 million from the state's AIDS Drug Assistance Program because of budgetary constraints, leaving some HIV-positive patients in the state at risk of losing access to HIV antiretroviral medications, The [Cleveland] Plain Dealer reports. Ohio's ADAP expenditures have more than doubled, from $6.5 million to $14.6 million, over the last five years. Although the bulk of funding for the program comes from federal grants, the state makes up the difference in helping low-income state residents gain access to anti-HIV medications. State officials are hoping to avoid curtailing access to drugs or implementing waiting lists for HIV-positive people wishing to join the program by obtaining discounted medications through a federal pool that negotiates drug rates with pharmaceutical companies. The health department is also trying to enroll any eligible ADAP participant into Medicaid to obtain the drugs.