Vivent Health Urges Trump Administration to Sustain Investment in HIV Prevention, Care and Treatment

Calls on Congress to reject $795 million in catastrophic cuts that will drastically harm the health of millions of Americans 

According to a leaked document outlining the Federal budget the Administration will introduce to Congress in the coming weeks, President Trump is proposing eliminating the CDC Division of HIV Prevention, all funding for the Ending the HIV Epidemic program he created in his first term, as well as funding aimed at reaching people most vulnerable to HIV through the Federal Minority AIDS Initiative. Additionally, the President’s draft budget outline de-emphasizes HIV prevention funding by combining it with other funds into a block grant designed to address the ongoing opioid epidemic, viral hepatitis, sexually transmitted infections, and tuberculosis. The budget proposal makes alarming changes to several other critical health programs as well.

“Taking almost $1billion out of our nation’s response to HIV and formerly ending the Federal government’s commitment to the Ending the HIV Epidemic programs is not only dangerous for people living with and vulnerable to HIV, it’s fiscally irresponsible,” Bill Keeton, Vivent Health Chief Advocacy Officer, said. “Making America healthy requires investing in programs like the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program, the Minority AIDS Initiative, and CDC HIV Prevention programs which are all contributing to reducing new HIV diagnoses and helping people living with HIV avoid needless illness and more expensive care.

While the leaked budget outline still lacks several important details, it will reduce federal investment in HIV prevention, care and treatment services by more than $795 million annually, including completely eliminating funding for dental care under the Ryan White Program. The lifetime average costs associated with HIV care and treatment for individuals who acquire HIV are estimated to be $500,000 over the course of their lifetime – a cost that will be spread across public and private insurance, healthcare systems, taxpayers and American healthcare consumers. This fact alone makes these cuts not only an affront to health, but a poor financial decision as well.

“It is indisputable that the Federal government’s investment in HIV prevention, care and treatment is saving lives and saving taxpayers and healthcare consumers money,” Keeton continued. “By helping people living with HIV successfully manage their HIV and delivering critical prevention services and care to people vulnerable to HIV, the United States has prevented almost 28,000 new HIV diagnoses over the recent decade, has helped people with HIV live longer than ever before, and will save a projected $15 billion in health care costs that would result from new HIV transmission. If our nation cannot afford $800 million in prevention, care and treatment services related to HIV, how can we afford an extra $15 billion in future health costs that will result?”

Specifically within the budget outline, the President includes $239 million in cuts annually to the Ryan White Program and is calling for the elimination of the Minority AIDS Initiative and his own Ending the HIV Epidemic program. These changes will result in a loss of an additional $560 million that will directly impact people who receive care through HIV prevention, care and treatment programs funded in local communities.