PROJECT INFORM IN OTHER MEDIA ... 2008
Experts call on Governor Schwarzenegger to sign
AB 1894 to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS:
California poised to lead the nation in
setting medical standard in HIV/AIDS prevention
(mention of Project Inform in bold below)
SACRAMENTO, Calif. Today, California's leading HIV/AIDS
and healthcare experts called on the Governor to sign
AB 1894 (authored by Assembly Member Paul Krekorian)
in light of new data from the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention (CDC).
This August, the CDC announced that
the United States has been under-estimating HIV infections
by more than 40 percent (per year) for the past decade.
Today, the
CDC released new data that breaks down the infections
(by population, age, gender and transmission category)
and confirms the disproportionate impact HIV/AIDS is
having on minority communities:
African-Americans make up 12 percent of the total
U.S. population, yet represented 46 percent of new HIV
infections in the United States in 2006.
- Black males suffer 5.9 times
the rate of infection as white males - and the black
males aged 13-29 years was 7.1 times the rate of white
males.
- Black females suffer 14.7 times the rate of
infection as white females.
- Among men who have sex
with men (MSM) aged 13-29 years, the number of new HIV
infections in blacks was 1.6 times the number in whites.
Latino-Americans make up 14 percent of the total
U.S. population, yet represented 18 percent of new HIV
infections in the United States in 2006.
- Latino males suffer 2.2 times the rate of infection as white
males.
- Latino females suffer 3.8 times the rate of
infection as white females.
- Among MSM aged 13-29 years,
the number of new HIV infections in Latinos was 2.3
times the number in whites.
Experts believe that AB 1894 --
which requires private insurers to cover routine HIV
screening -- is precisely the sort of response needed
to the CDC's alarming report and the critical next step
in making routine HIV testing the standard of medical
practice. Combined with the almost unanimous passage
of last year's AB 682 (which simplified patient consent
for HIV-testing in California), the state is poised to
lead the nation in setting a national medical standard
for HIV/AIDS care and prevention.
Richard Frankenstein,
MD, President, California Medical Association: "It
is estimated that 40,000 Californians are HIV positive
and don't know it. Governor Schwarzenegger should sign
AB 1894 to equip our doctors and health care providers
with a critical tool to help all Californians know their
status, access treatment if needed, and reduce risk of
transmission. Until we have a vaccine, we must refocus
our efforts on every preventable measure available --
and HIV testing is one of the strongest, most inexpensive
and effective ways to stem the spread of HIV/AIDS."
Michael
Weinstein, President, AIDS Healthcare Foundation: "The
disastrous new data from the CDC confirms that the current
system is not working and that we urgently need universal
access to routine testing. Insurers have a responsibility
to employers and the insured to assist in finding the
large numbers of people who are positive and don't know
it. An HIV test costs $20. Lifelong infection costs $600,000.
That's an excellent return on investment in human and
business terms. We simply cannot afford to be complacent.
We strongly urge the Governor to sign this legislation."
Dana
Van Gorder, Executive Director, Project Inform: "AB
1894 is a critical piece of legislation in the fight
again HIV/AIDS, because we know that when people learn
they are HIV positive, they are much less likely to engage
in behaviors that will cause further transmissions. Additionally,
data strongly suggest that people who receive effective
treatment for HIV and engage in safe behaviors are even
less likely to transmit HIV. Governor Schwarzenegger
should sign AB 1894 because it positions California to
lead the nation in making routine HIV testing a standard
medical practice."
Oscar De La O, President and CEO,
Bienestar: "The
recent CDC numbers confirm that Latinos and African Americans
are bearing the brunt of today's HIV infections in the
US. Early detection is especially critical among Latinos,
who find out their HIV status later after infection when
compared to others. Every sector must do its part to
ensure easy access to HIV testing, including private
insurers throughout California. We urge the Governor
to sign AB 1894."
Additional background: AB 1894 (authored
by Assembly Member Paul Krekorian) would require all
group and individual health insurance plans to pay for
an HIV test regardless of whether the testing is related
to a primary diagnosis or the patient is showing symptoms.Consider:
- The CDC recommends that everyone in the United States
aged 13--64--regardless of perceived risk--be regularly
tested for HIV to help stop the spread of this disease.
The CDC estimates that one-quarter of HIV-infected people
are unaware of their HIV infection and that these persons
account for more than half of all new infections. In
addition, CDC recommends that sexually active gay and
bisexual men be tested for HIV at least once a year.
- The California Office of AIDS estimates that at least
40,000 Californians are HIV positive and don't know it.
- A 2007 Kaiser Family Foundation analysis showed a
direct correlation between the amount of funds spent
on prevention and HIV incidence.
To view the CDC study,
please visit: www.cdc.gov and www.cdc.gov/mmwr/.
