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With its affordable health insurance legislation under its belt, the Obama administration has begun tackling a new health issue: the HIV/AIDS crisis. Although new infections have slowed since their peak in the ’80s, many people are still affected.
It is a two-pronged effort, aimed at reducing new infections while increasing access to health care for those who already have it. Instead of allocating significant amounts of new funding, existing funding will be redirected to high-risk populations like African-Americans and gay/bisexual men.
Some fear that the new comprehensive strategy won’t be enough, however. The economy has resulted in many people losing their jobs, which for many also means losing health coverage. Although there are medications that allow HIV patients to live longer and healthier lives, they are still very expensive. The out-of-pocket cost is almost out of reach for the uninsured. In addition, a person with HIV or AIDS would find it almost impossible to buy health insurance on the open market for the next several years.
