Important Happenings in HIV/Health Policy

Important Happenings in HIV/Health Policy

Week Ending: June 15, 2018
By: Matthew Rose & Sable K. Nelson

House Marking Up Federal Fiscal Year 2019 Appropriations Bill

On Friday, June 15, 2018 the Labor, Health and Human Services (Labor-HHS) Subcommittee of the U.S. House Appropriation Committee marked up its Federal Fiscal Year 2019 (FY19) Appropriations bills. Passing along party lines, the House’s Labor HHS spending bill would increase HHS’s budget by $1 billion for FY19. “Markup” is the process by which a Congress debates, amends, and rewrites proposed legislation. An appropriations bill is a piece of legislation that sets money aside for specific government spending. This is the third step in the Federal Budget Process:

Here are the funding levels proposed by the House Labor-HHS Subcommittee for key HIV/AIDS programs:

The Senate version of the Labor-HHS spending bill set top-line spending $2 billion higher than the House version. It is unknown at this time how those funds will be allocated for each of the Senate Labor-HHS spending bill will be marked up in the upcoming days/weeks.

 

NEXT STEPS: In the coming weeks, tentatively scheduled for June 26, the full House Appropriations Committee is expected to mark up the Labor-HHS bill. It is likely that several Representatives will propose amendments targeting federal funding for programs impacting minority health, rural health, Title X family planning, operation of supervised consumption facilities, and programs affiliated with the Affordable Care Act that the current spending bill proposes reducing or eliminating.

 

CDC Releases its 2017 YRBS Data

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released its latest data from its Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS). The YRSSS monitors six categories of health-related behaviors that contribute to the leading causes of death and disability among youth and adults, including:

  • Behaviors that contribute to unintentional injuries and violence
  • Sexual behaviors related to unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV infection
  • Alcohol and other drug use
  • Tobacco use
  • Unhealthy dietary behaviors
  • Inadequate physical activity

Below is a table that summarizes the “Progress At-A-Glance for Sexual Behavior Variables:”

For more information, READ → https://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/data/yrbs/index.htm; https://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/data/yrbs/pdf/trendsreport.pdf

 

What You Can Do

TAKE ACTION: It is very important that our elected officials hear from us to protect federal HIV funding for HIV prevention and care.  Speak truth to power by sharing your personal stories with your elected officials. It is vitally important to meet your federal elected officials when they are at home. If we don’t support and advocate for HIV funding and programs, who will?  Our movement cannot afford to stand on the sidelines.  Your U.S. Senators and U.S. Representatives need to hear from you.

 

Also, MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE REGISTERED TO VOTE in time for the primary and general elections happening this year!

For more information, VISIT→ https://www.eac.gov/voters/register-and-vote-in-your-state/

 

Finally, PARTICIPATE IN THE PRIMARY ELECTION(S) in your state:

For more information, VISIT→ http://www.ncsl.org/research/elections-and-campaigns/2018-state-primary-election-dates.aspx


What NMAC is Doing About It

  • NMAC remains vigilant in its advocacy to protect FY19 government funding and the existence of the social safety net.
  • NMAC will meet with hill staff to support amendments that are favorable for our programs.
  • NMAC is also working with lawmakers to address PrEP access and HIV in the military in a new partnership.

Important Happenings in HIV/Health Policy

Important Happenings in HIV/Health Policy

Week Ending: June 15, 2018
By: Matthew Rose & Sable K. Nelson


Nation’s Leading HIV, STD and Hepatitis
Organizations Gravely Concerned by Trump


Administration’s Refusal to Defend ACA
Five of the nation’s leading HIV, STD, and viral hepatitis organizations expressed grave concern today at the Trump Administration’s decision not to defend critical components of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in legal challenges brought by the state of Texas. By failing to defend the law’s central pre-existing conditions protections, AIDS United, NASTAD, the National Coalition of STD Directors, NMAC, and The AIDS Institute fear that this Administration has abandoned millions of Americans with chronic or pre-existing conditions, including HIV, hepatitis, and other STDs, who rely on the ACA for access to critical, affordable health care coverage. For more information,

READ → https://www.nmac.org/nations-leading-hiv-std-and-hepatitis-organizations-gravely-concerned-by-trump-administrations-refusal-to-defend-aca/


House Marking Up Federal Fiscal Year 2019 Appropriations Bill

On Friday, June 15, 2018, the Labor, Health and Human Services Subcommittee of the U.S. House Appropriation Committee will mark up the Federal Fiscal Year 2019 Appropriations bills.  Markup is the process by which a Congress debates, amends, and rewrites proposed legislation. An appropriations bill is a piece of legislation that sets money aside for specific government spending. This is the third step in the Federal Budget Process:

 

What You Can Do

TAKE ACTION: It is very important that our elected officials hear from us to protect federal funding for HIV prevention and care. Speak truth to power by sharing your personal stories with your elected officials. It is vitally important to meet your federal elected officials when they are at home. If we don’t support and advocate for HIV funding and programs, who will?  Our movement cannot afford to stand on the sidelines. Your U.S. Senators and U.S. Representatives need to hear from you. 

Also, MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE REGISTERED TO VOTE in time for the primary and general elections happening this year:

Colorado 6/18/2018

 For more information, VISIT→ https://www.eac.gov/voters/register-and-vote-in-your-state/

Finally, PARTICIPATE IN THE PRIMARY ELECTION(S) in your state:

District of Columbia

Utah    

New York        

Oklahoma        

Maryland        

Colorado         

 6/19/2018

6/26/2018

6/26/2018

6/26/2018

6/26/2018

6/26/2018

For more information, VISIT→ http://www.ncsl.org/research/elections-and-campaigns/2018-state-primary-election-dates.aspx

 

What NMAC is Doing About It

  • NMAC remains vigilant in its advocacy to protect FY19 government funding and the existence of the social safety net.
  • NMAC releaseda Biomedical HIV Prevention “Blueprint” entitled Expanding Access to Biomedical HIV Prevention: Tailoring Approaches for Effectively Serving Communities of Color, a new report that establishes strategies to effectively use techniques such as Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) and Treatment as Prevention (TasP) to end the HIV epidemic in communities of color. The full report can be found by visiting nmac.org/blueprint.
 

 

DESPITE PROGRESS IN NATIONAL HIV/AIDS STRATEGY PROGRESS REPORT, MUCH WORK STILL TO BE DONE

For Immediate Release
Contact: Chip Lewis, 202.853.1846, clewis@nmac.org

DESPITE PROGRESS IN NATIONAL HIV/AIDS STRATEGY PROGRESS REPORT, MUCH WORK STILL TO BE DONE

 

June 11, 2018 – The 2017 Progress Report on the National HIV/AIDS Strategy (link) shows that progress is being made in some areas, but much work still needs to be done in other areas to not only reach the strategy’s goals for 2020 but to prevent any loss of progress made.

While NMAC applauds the fact that progress targets were met to reduce HIV diagnosis disparities among Black women and increase viral suppression among youth and transgender women, it is disappointing to see that the strategy failed to reach its targets for reducing HIV diagnosis disparities among young, black gay and bisexual men and among people in the southern United States.

“The latest NHAS progress report shows that we still have a tremendous amount of work ahead of us,” said Paul Kawata, NMAC’s Executive Director. “The fact that we failed to reach our targets in the southern United States, currently the epicenter of the HIV epidemic, is particularly discouraging. And the fact that we continue to lose ground in HIV diagnosis for young, Black gay and bisexual men is crushing. Young, Black gay and bisexual men now have a 50 percent chance of becoming HIV-positive during their lives. Meeting our goals with these communities will help us achieve our goal of ending the epidemic and end needless suffering.”

 

NMAC leads with race to urgently fight for health equity and racial justice to end the HIV epidemic in America. Since 1987, NMAC has advanced our mission through a variety of programs and services, including: a public policy education program, national and regional training conferences, a treatment and research program, numerous electronic and print materials, and a website: www.nmac.org. NMAC also serves as an association of AIDS service organizations, providing valuable information to community-based organizations, hospitals, clinics, and other groups assisting individuals and families affected by the HIV epidemic.

###

One Week Left for USCA Early Bird Registration!

Just One Week Left for USCA Early Bird Rates!

USCA’s Early Bird rates for conference registration and booth reservation end on June 8!  Don’t wait to reserve your place at USCA. Register and reserve your booth space now.

 

HIV & Transgender Community Spotlight Webinar is June 20

Join NMAC for our next Community Spotlight webinar on June 20, when we will look at HIV among Transgender Americans. Our presenter will be Luis Gutierrez-Mock, TRIUMPH Project Director at the Center of Excellence for Transgender Health. Register now.
.

Join Our HIV Navigation Evaluation Webinar June 13

NMAC‘s Capacity Building Division will present A Novel Demonstration of HIV Navigation Evaluation webinar Wednesday, June 13, from 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM EDT.

This webinar will introduce participants to basic monitoring and evaluation elements of HIV Navigation Services (HNS) by way of the CDC’s Prevention with Positives (PwP) in Action Novel (a CDC video). Register now.
For more information please contact linc@nmac.org.

June 5 is HIV Long-Term Survivors Day

June 5 is HIV Long-Term Survivors Day, a time to celebrate and honor long-term survivors of the epidemic and raise awareness of their needs, issues, and journeys.

This year, we will feature long-term survivors from our 50+ Strong & Healthy program talking about their lives and what they would tell young people living with HIV. Watch our social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram) on Monday, June 5.

 

The Latest HIV News from DC

It’s been a busy week for NMAC’s Policy team with the introduction of the Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2018 and the proposed Domestic Gag Rule. We’ll need your help to make the difference on these important issues. Read the latest update from them.

Important Happenings in HIV/Health Policy

Important Happenings in HIV/Health Policy

Week Ending: May 25, 2018
By: Matthew Rose & Sable K. Nelson

Health Equity and Accountability Act Introduced in the House

Rep. Barbara Lee – on behalf of the Congressional Tri-Caucus made up the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, Congressional Black Caucus, and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus – introduced The Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2018 (HEAA), H.R. 5942. The introduction of HEAA in the Senate will be forthcoming from Sen. Mazi K. Hirono. In addition to Senator Hirono and Rep. Lee, dozens of members of the Congressional Tri-Caucus have co-sponsored the bill.

HEAA builds upon the strengths of the ACA and provides the additional tools necessary to address and eliminate health and health care disparities experienced by minority and underserved communities. The bill will eliminate existing access barriers to affordable health insurance coverage, promote investments in innovative health delivery methods and technologies, and advance research and data collection about the health needs and outcomes of diverse communities. The bill also ensures that a full range of culturally and linguistically appropriate health care and public health services are available and accessible in every community, creates a pipeline and new training opportunities for minority-serving professional and allied health care workers, and incorporates strategies to address a range of disease-specific mental and behavioral health issues facing minority communities. These are all important steps toward eliminating racial and ethnic health disparities, and creating a sustainable health care system that can pave the road to health equity. For more information,
READ this op-ed co-authored by  Reps. Lee and Chu in The Hill → http://thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/healthcare/388977-health-equity-bill-offers-blueprint-for-nation-at-time-of; https://www.apiahf.org/resource/heaa_section_overview/

 


Trump Administration Proposes ‘Domestic Gag’ Rule
On May 22, 2018, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced a proposed change to a regulation that would affect the Title X program. Federally-funded Title X family planning clinics play a critical role in ensuring access to a broad range of family planning and preventive health services. The proposed regulation change would restrict family planning funding from certain health-care providers, such as Planned Parenthood, and block providers that participate in the Title X program from referring their patients for abortions. It is being referred to as the domestic gag rule, as it would likely prevent federal funding from going to any health clinic that even mentions abortion as an option for women. Comments on the proposed rule would be due 60 days after it is published in the Federal Register. However, HHS has not yet announced when it publish the proposed regulation. For more information,
READ → https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/trump-new-domestic-gag-rule-planned-parenthood_us_5afef8cce4b0a046186b2e39

 

Understanding the Trump Administration’s Plan to Lower Prescription Drug Costs
Sarah Jane Tribble from the Kaiser Health Network explained the key elements of the 44-page document entitled “American Patients First; The Trump Administration Blueprint to Lower Drug Prices and Reduce Out-of-Pocket Costs” https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/AmericanPatientsFirst.pdf ) on CBS News’ “Red & Blue.” For more information,
WATCH → https://www.cbsnews.com/video/trumps-feud-with-prescription-drug-costs-began-during-his-campaign-and-continues-today/; https://khn.org/news/watch-whats-in-the-white-house-plan-to-lower-drug-prices/?utm_campaign=KHN%20-%20Weekly%20Edition&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=63242968&_hsenc=p2ANqtz–hb5VddnTmF2_hUdnmdQqomGW787zhjNampBkczXpbYfijgtABc17Pbkinzk9pZiljhI1d58KusoSIOv7TJ4l2sBqBSA&_hsmi=63242968

 

What NMAC is Doing About It

  • NMAC remains vigilant in its advocacy to protect FY19 government funding and the existence of the social safety net.
  • NMAC releaseda Biomedical HIV Prevention “Blueprint” entitled Expanding Access to Biomedical HIV Prevention: Tailoring Approaches for Effectively Serving Communities of Color, a new report that establishes strategies to effectively use techniques such as Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) and Treatment as Prevention (TasP) to end the HIV epidemic in communities of color. The full report can be found by visiting nmac.org/blueprint.
  • NMAC will work with partners to determine its response to the pending domestic gag rule

 

What You Can Do About It.

TAKE ACTION: Speak truth to power by sharing your personal stories with your elected officials. It is vitally important to meet to your federal elected officials when they are at home. If we don’t support and advocate for HIV funding and programs, who will?  Our movement cannot afford to stand on the sidelines.  Your U.S. Senators and U.S. Representatives need to hear from you. 

Also, MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE REGISTERED TO VOTE  in time for the primary and general elections happening this year:

New York 6/1/2018
Oklahoma 6/1/2018
Maryland 6/5/2018
Colorado 6/18/2018

 For more information, VISIT→ https://www.eac.gov/voters/register-and-vote-in-your-state/

Finally, PARTICIPATE IN THE PRIMARY ELECTION(S) in your state:

Mississippi 06/05/2018
Montana 06/05/2018
New Mexico 06/05/2018
New Jersey 06/05/2018
Alabama 06/05/2018
South Dakota 06/05/2018
California 06/05/2018
Iowa 06/05/2018
South Carolina 06/12/2018
Nevada 06/12/2018
Virginia 06/12/2018
Maine 06/12/2018
North Dakota 06/12/2018
District of Columbia 06/19/2018
Utah 06/19/2018
New York 06/26/2018
Oklahoma 06/26/2018
Maryland 06/26/2018
Colorado

06/26/2018

For more information, VISIT→ http://www.ncsl.org/research/elections-and-campaigns/2018-state-primary-election-dates.aspx

HIV Navigation Webinar June 13th

USCA Early Bird Rates End June 

USCA’s Early Bird rates for conference registration and booth reservation end on June 8!  Don’t wait to reserve your place at USCA. Register and reserve your booth space now.


Join Our HIV Navigation Evaluation Webinar June 13
NMAC‘s Capacity Building Division is excited to offer A Novel Demonstration of HIV Navigation Evaluation 

webinar Wednesday, June 13, from 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM EDT.

This webinar will introduce participants to basic monitoring and evaluation elements of HIV Navigation Services (HNS) by way of the CDC’s Prevention with Positives (PwP) in Action Novel ( a CDC video). NMAC will play content from this graphic novel to raise awareness and educate those either currently grappling with monitoring and evaluating one or more facets of HNS or contemplating an HNS program launch.
Register now. For more information please contact linc@nmac.org.


Welcome New NMAC Staff! 

NMAC is pleased to welcome two new members to our family.

Diane Ferguson joins us as Development Associate. She worked at AARP as a Library Assistant/Research Information Specialist for 16 years. She also worked at AARP as the Executive Secretary for The Center to Champion Nursing in America for two years and as a Project Specialist in the Public Policy Institute for six years. After 24 years she left AARP and became a partner in Ferguson Property Care/Ferguson Auto Detailing. Missing the corporate environment, Diane returned to work as an Administrative Assistant at the National Quality Forum.

Our new Conference Coordinator Aryah Lester, nationally awarded author, speaker, and educator, is a transgender woman of color originally from New York. She founded the organization Trans-Miami during her time as an expert consult member of the Miami Enhanced Comprehensive HIV Prevention Plan for the National HIV/AIDS Strategy and 12-Cities Project, and continued the work of her organization, the  National Alliance of Transgender Advocates and Leaders (NATAL). Ms. Lester has been recognized with many awards, featured in numerous national articles, and was inducted into the most recent national Trans100 list.

Welcome, Diane and Aryah!

 

The Latest HIV News from DC
As the summer approaches, things are heating up in Washington on policy and budget items related to HIV care, prevention, and services. And our policy team is in the thick of it. Read the latest update from them.

Important Happenings in HIV/Health Policy

Important Happenings in
HIV/Health Policy

Week Ending: May 4, 2018
By: Matthew Rose & Sable K. Nelson

Senate Hearing on FY19 HHS Funding This Week

On Thursday, May 10, Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex Azar will testify on HHS’s fiscal year 2019 (FY19) budget request beforethe Senate Labor-HHS Appropriations subcommittee. This appropriations bill provides funding for the Secretary’s Minority AIDS Initiative Fund (SMAIF), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which spearheads HIV and STD prevention efforts, Health Resources Services Administration (HRSA), which administers the Ryan White Program, the National Institute of Health, which coordinates various HIV-related research, and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), which provides services the around substance use and mental health. To watch the hearing live:
CLICK → https://www.appropriations.senate.gov/hearings/hearing-to-review-the-fy2019-budget-request-for-us-dept-of-health-and-human-services

Check Out the Kaiser Health Network’s ‘What the Health?’ Podcast on State Medicaid Changes, and Former HHS Secretary’s Tom Price’s Recent Comments

“Julie Rovner of Kaiser Health News, Joanne Kenen of Politico, Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times, and Alice Ollstein of Talking Points Memo discuss the latest on states’ efforts to reshape their Medicaid programs, the kerfuffle over President Donald Trump’s medical records, and comments by former Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price about Congress’ repeal of the Affordable Care Act’s ‘individual mandate’ penalty. Rovner also interviews Harvard professor Robert Blendon about the complex politics of health in the coming midterm elections.” For more information:
LISTEN → https://khn.org/news/podcast-khns-what-the-health-medicaid-privacy-and-tom-prices-return/?utm_campaign=KHN%20-%20Weekly%20Edition&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=62690688&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8Oued6IqrEOUgPVNRdtwi-GPFmBxbBLk4xRi-uc81Sca_teJtdsWhprUOZPyNK1c_egBXFUXERRtizTyEVKtChQOtP9Q&_hsmi=62690688

 

What NMAC is Doing About It

  • NMAC remains vigilant in its advocacy to protect FY19 government funding and the existence of the social safety net.
  • NMAC releaseda Biomedical HIV Prevention “Blueprint” entitled Expanding Access to Biomedical HIV Prevention: Tailoring Approaches for Effectively Serving Communities of Color, a new report that establishes strategies to effectively use techniques such as Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) and Treatment as Prevention (TasP) to end the HIV epidemic in communities of color. The full report can be found by visiting nmac.org/blueprint.

 

What You Can Do

TAKE ACTION: Speak truth to power by sharing your personal stories with your elected officials. It is vitally important to meet to your federal elected officials when they are at home. If we don’t support and advocate for HIV funding and programs, who will?  Our movement cannot afford to stand on the sidelines.  Your U.S. Senators and U.S. Representatives need to hear from you. 

Also, MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE REGISTERED TO VOTE in time for the primary and general elections happening this year:

South Carolina 5/14/2018
New Jersey 5/15/2018
Nevada 5/15/2018
Alabama 5/21/2018
South Dakota 5/21/2018
California 5/21/2018
Virginia 5/21/2018
Maine 5/22/2018
Iowa 5/25/2018
Utah 5/27/2018

District of Columbia

5/29/2018

For more information, VISIT→ https://www.eac.gov/voters/register-and-vote-in-your-state/

Finally, PARTICIPATE IN THE PRIMARY ELECTION(S) in your state:

Pennsylvania 5/15/2018
Idaho 5/15/2018
Oregon 5/15/2018
Nebraska 5/15/2018
Arkansas 5/22/2018
Georgia 5/22/2018
Kentucky 5/22/2018

For more information, VISIT→ http://www.ncsl.org/research/elections-and-campaigns/2018-state-primary-election-dates.aspx

 

Important Happenings in HIV/Health Policy

Important Happenings in
HIV/Health Policy

Week Ending: April 27, 2018
By: Matthew Rose & Sable K. Nelson

Potentially Changes to SNAP

SNAP is the country’s most effective anti-hunger program, helping one in eight Americans afford a basic diet. The 2018 Farm Bill passed by the House Agriculture Committee would increase hunger and hardship by taking away or cutting food assistance for many struggling Americans, including parents raising kids, people with disabilities, older workers, low-wage workers, and people temporarily in between jobs. Coming just four months after a tax-cut bill that will cost $1.9 trillion over 10 years and lavish tax cuts on wealthy individuals and large, profitable corporations, the SNAP proposals would further widen the nation’s economic divide.

READ →https://www.vox.com/2018/4/25/17262764/farm-bill-food-stamp-snap-house-republican

 

Mixed News for Sexual Education

The Good News: Last week, the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland ruled that HHS’s decision to terminate the City of Baltimore’s and the Healthy Teen Network’s Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program grants was unlawful and ordered HHS to process their continuing award applications. For more information,
READ →https://www.cnn.com/2018/04/26/health/teen-pregnancy-prevention-abstinence/index.html

 

The Bad News: The Trump Administration introduced of an updated funding guidance for the Teen Pregnancy Prevention Programs (TPPP). The new guidelines require grantees to focus on “sexual risk avoidance” and “sexual risk reduction” programs. “Sexual Risk Avoidance” is code for abstinence only programs. The latest TPPP FOA is filled with these veiled terms to prevent effective, evidence-based sex ed programs. Abstinence-only programs are ineffective and ideologically motivated. The Trump administration wants to fund medically inaccurate, anti-LGBTQ, non-evidence based, abstinence only sex ed programs. LGBTQ youth need accurate, affirming, age-appropriate, and comprehensive education to make informed decisions about their health and relationships. Trump admin’s funding guidelines for Teen Pregnancy Prevention ignore this reality. For more information,
READ →


What NMAC is Doing About It

  • NMAC remains vigilant in its advocacy to protect FY19 government funding and the existence of the social safety net.
  • NMAC releaseda Biomedical HIV Prevention “Blueprint” entitled Expanding Access to Biomedical HIV Prevention: Tailoring Approaches for Effectively Serving Communities of Color, a new report that establishes strategies to effectively use techniques such as Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) and Treatment as Prevention (TasP) to end the HIV epidemic in communities of color. The full report can be found by visiting nmac.org/blueprint.
  • NMAC will participate in a TPPP and FOA tweet-out on Thursday, May 3 between 2pm-3pm ET. Follow hashtags #TPPP #Evidenceoverideology #LGBTQ on Twitter.

 

What You Can Do

TAKE ACTION: Speak truth to power by sharing your personal stories with your elected officials. It is vitally important to meet your federal elected officials when they are at home. If we don’t support and advocate for HIV funding and programs, who will? Our movement cannot afford to stand on the sidelines. Your U.S. Senators and U.S. Representatives need to hear from you.

 

Also, MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE REGISTERED TO VOTE in time for the primary and general elections happening this year

Mississippi 5/7/2018
Montana 5/7/2018
New Mexico 5/8/2018
South Carolina 5/14/2018
New Jersey 5/15/2018
Nevada 5/15/2018
Alabama 5/21/2018
South Dakota 5/21/2018
California 5/21/2018
Virginia 5/21/2018
Maine 5/22/2018
Iowa 5/25/2018
Utah 5/27/2018
District of Columbia 5/29/2018

For more information, VISIT→ https://www.eac.gov/voters/register-and-vote-in-your-state/

 

Finally, PARTICIPATE IN THE PRIMARY ELECTION(S) in your state:

Indiana 5/8/2018
Ohio 5/8/2018
North Carolina 5/8/2018
West Virginia 5/8/2018
Pennsylvania 5/15/2018
Idaho 5/15/2018
Oregon 5/15/2018
Nebraska 5/15/2018
Arkansas 5/22/2018
Georgia 5/22/2018
Kentucky 5/22/2018

For more information, VISIT→ http://www.ncsl.org/research/elections-and-campaigns/2018-state-primary-election-dates.aspx

Important Happenings in HIV/Health Policy

Important Happenings in 

HIV/Health Policy

Week Ending: April 20, 2018
By: Matthew Rose & Sable K. Nelson

 

Senate Hearing FY19 HHS Funding Postponed
Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex Azar was scheduled to testify on HHS’s FY19 budget request at a Senate Labor-HHS Appropriations hearing on Thursday, April 26. However, due to Secretary Azar’s recent hospitalization related to continued complications with a digestive infection, the Senate Labor-HHS Appropriations hearing will be postponed. It is still unclear when Azar will return to Washington. For more information,

READ → https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/policy/healthcare/hhs-secretary-alex-azar-heads-back-to-hospital

HHS Drug Strategy Under Review

On April 17, The Office of Management and Budget began its review of a strategy developed by HHS to lower prescription drug prices and reduce out-of-pocket costs for consumers. On April 26, President Trump plans to announce the steps his Administration will take to fight high drugs costs. According to the Trump Administration’s 2019 Budget Fact Sheet on lowering the price of drugs, pricing policies include changes to Medicare, Medicaid, the 340B drug pricing program that allows safety-net hospitals to get drug discounts, and speeding the development of more affordable generic medications.
For more information,
READ → https://khn.org/morning-breakout/trump-to-give-speech-on-drug-prices-but-no-new-policies-are-expected-to-be-unveiled/

Kaiser Health Network (KHN) ‘What The Health?’ Podcast:
Nothing In Health Care Ever Goes Away
“In this episode of KHN’s ‘What the Health?’ Sarah Jane Tribble of Kaiser Health News, Joanne Kenen of Politico, Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times, and Paige Winfield Cunningham of The Washington Post examine how even after Republicans failed to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, the health care debate continues to roil politics. They discuss how Republicans in Congress have shifted their ACA messaging and how the Democrats are looking to Medicare expansion. They also discuss state efforts to expand Medicaid and drug pricing. And they spend a moment talking about Congress’ push to do something about the opioid crisis.”

For more information, READ →  https://khn.org/news/podcast-khns-what-the-health-nothing-in-health-care-ever-goes-away/?utm_campaign=KHN%20-%20Weekly%20Edition&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=62270566&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_LRHkm4pjBS364Kv9GoI5eX2OuBR4QwrHz0aNCNHpnW0zXKKP_WC5O445IKULhM_fCq4i5fQNYorkM-pEFDUukBPAxow&_hsmi=62270566

 

What NMAC is Doing About It

  • NMAC remains vigilant in its advocacy to protect FY19 government funding and the existence of the social safety net.
  • NMAC will continue to meet with congressional staff about the importance of HIV funding.
  • NMAC will continue to discuss how to implement the recommendations from our Biomedical Blueprint.
  • NMAC is planning a face-to-face meeting with the CDC Director and a site visit with colleagues with the Federal AIDS Policy Partnership (FAPP) in May 2018.

 

What You Can Do

FOLLOW CARDI B’S LEAD: In a recent interview with GQ Magazine, Cardi B remarked “I love government. I’m obsessed with presidents. I’m obsessed to know how the system works.” Cardi B went on to say that President Franklin Delano Roosevelt tried to “make America great again for real” by helping old people to receive social security. Even Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) cosigned this component of Cardi B’s interview via Twitter:

Components of the social safety net: the Ryan White Program, Food Assistance, Medicaid, Medicare and Social Security are facing possible program changes and funding cuts in FY19. As various proposals are being discussed, we each have the responsibility to educate ourselves about the issues, systems, and decision-makers that impact our daily lives.

 

TAKE ACTION: Speak truth to power by sharing your personal stories with your elected officials. It is vitally important to meet to your federal elected officials when they are home. If we don’t support and advocate for HIV funding and programs, who will? Our movement cannot afford to stand on the sidelines. Your U.S. Senators and U.S. Representatives need to hear from you.

Also, MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE REGISTERED TO VOTE in time for the primary and general elections happening this year:

Nebraska

 4/30/2018
Mississippi 5/7/2018
Montana 5/7/2018
New Mexico 5/8/2018
South Carolina 5/14/2018
New Jersey 5/15/2018
Nevada 5/15/2018
Alabama 5/21/2018
South Dakota 5/21/2018
California 5/21/2018
Virginia 5/21/2018
Maine 5/22/2018
Iowa 5/25/2018
Utah 5/27/2018
District of Columbia 5/29/2018

For more information, VISIT→ https://www.eac.gov/voters/register-and-vote-in-your-state/

Finally, PARTICIPATE IN THE PRIMARY ELECTION(S) in your state:

Indiana 5/8/2018
Ohio 5/8/2018
North Carolina 5/8/2018
West Virginia 5/8/2018
Pennsylvania 5/15/2018
Idaho 5/15/2018
Oregon 5/15/2018
Nebraska 5/15/2018
Arkansas 5/22/2018
Georgia 5/22/2018
Kentucky 5/22/2018

For more information, VISIT→ http://www.ncsl.org/research/elections-and-campaigns/2018-state-primary-election-dates.aspx