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LA County Board of Supervisors
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LA County OAPP
State Office of AIDS
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Copyright 2008. The Friends of AIDS Foundation. All Rights Reserved.
| Welcome to the HIV/AIDS Community Journal! The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for those impacted by the HIV epidemic and has published this journal to provide you with the latest information on HIV/AIDS. |
UPDATE ON HIV/AIDS STATE BUDGET ISSUES
posted: June 5, 2008
posted: June 5, 2008
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Recently, California legislators took action on the following HIV/AIDS
related items:
Assembly Budget Subcommittee #1 on Health & Human Services:
Voted to restore $7 million to the AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP).
The restoration would be achieved by drawing $7 million from the ADAP
drug rebate fund.
Voted to restore $4.3 million to Therapeutic Monitoring Program (TMP).
The restoration would be indirectly funded by the ADAP drug rebate fund.
Voted to approve the governor’s budget proposal to extend the HIV/AIDS
pharmacy pilot program for an additional year. As there is a conflicting
recommendation on the Senate side (see below), the issue will most likely
to go to conference.
Voted to eliminate the Department of Mental Health’s AIDS Counseling
Program after the Governor’s budget balancing reduction of $150,000.
The $1.35 million in remaining funds will be shifted to the Office of AIDS,
where it will be used to partially offset cuts to Education and Prevention
(see next bullet point). This action conforms to the Senate decision.
Voted to restore $5.2 million to HIV Education and Prevention. This
restoration—which would be partially offset by $1.35 million savings in
the Department of Mental Health’s AIDS Counseling Program-- appears
to apply to $5.6 million in prevention funding requested by the legislature
annually since 2005-06 for 47 counties. An earlier cut of $1.6 million to
education and prevention is still in effect.
Senate Budget Subcommittee #3 on Health, Human Services, Labor &
Veteran’s Affairs:
Voted to restore ADAP, achieved by drawing $7 million from the ADAP drug
rebate fund.
Voted to restore TMP by drawing $4.3 million from the ADAP drug rebate
fund.
Last week, the subcommittee had voted to eliminate an extension of the
HIV/AIDS pharmacy pilot program, which is slated to sunset on June 30,
2008. The funding for that program would then be used in other HIV/AIDS
programs (such as the AIDS Drug Assistance Program or the Therapeutic
Monitoring Program). The subcommittee had also voted last week to accept
cuts to several HIV/AIDS programs: Home Health, Early Intervention
Services, and HIV Counseling & Testing.
Both Assembly and Senate budget committees also acted on other
proposed cuts affecting Californians living with HIV/AIDS:
Assembly Budget Subcommittee #1 on Health and Human Services:
Voted to restore the 10 percent Medi-Cal provider rate cut to dentists and
certain other providers.
Voted to retain Medi-Cal adult dental services, with no benefit eliminations.
Voted to retain all of the other Medi-Cal adult optional benefits that had
been proposed for elimination by the Governor.
Senate Budget Subcommittee #3 on Health, Human Services, Labor &
Veteran’s Affairs:
Voted to restore 5 percent of the 10 percent Medi-Cal provider rate
reduction that was done earlier in February. This means that this issue may
go to conference committee. If legislators are unable to balance the budget,
it is possible that the entire 10 percent cut could come back. However, a
lawsuit could block the implementation of the cut.
Voted to reject the governor’s proposal to eliminate Medi-Cal adult dental
benefits and to eliminate the sunset on the $1800 adult dental cap.
Voted to reject the governor’s proposal to eliminate several other Medi-Cal
adult optional benefits. No benefits were eliminated.
What Happens Next?
Once completed, subcommittee reports will be submitted to the full budget
committee for approval. Any revisions are incorporated into the budget bill
and sent to the full membership of each house for consideration. It is
possible for an Assembly or Senate budget bill to be amended on the floor.
Once both houses approve their respective budget bills, a joint budget
conference committee is formed to handle any differences. No public
testimony is heard during the conference committee hearings.
related items:
Assembly Budget Subcommittee #1 on Health & Human Services:
Voted to restore $7 million to the AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP).
The restoration would be achieved by drawing $7 million from the ADAP
drug rebate fund.
Voted to restore $4.3 million to Therapeutic Monitoring Program (TMP).
The restoration would be indirectly funded by the ADAP drug rebate fund.
Voted to approve the governor’s budget proposal to extend the HIV/AIDS
pharmacy pilot program for an additional year. As there is a conflicting
recommendation on the Senate side (see below), the issue will most likely
to go to conference.
Voted to eliminate the Department of Mental Health’s AIDS Counseling
Program after the Governor’s budget balancing reduction of $150,000.
The $1.35 million in remaining funds will be shifted to the Office of AIDS,
where it will be used to partially offset cuts to Education and Prevention
(see next bullet point). This action conforms to the Senate decision.
Voted to restore $5.2 million to HIV Education and Prevention. This
restoration—which would be partially offset by $1.35 million savings in
the Department of Mental Health’s AIDS Counseling Program-- appears
to apply to $5.6 million in prevention funding requested by the legislature
annually since 2005-06 for 47 counties. An earlier cut of $1.6 million to
education and prevention is still in effect.
Senate Budget Subcommittee #3 on Health, Human Services, Labor &
Veteran’s Affairs:
Voted to restore ADAP, achieved by drawing $7 million from the ADAP drug
rebate fund.
Voted to restore TMP by drawing $4.3 million from the ADAP drug rebate
fund.
Last week, the subcommittee had voted to eliminate an extension of the
HIV/AIDS pharmacy pilot program, which is slated to sunset on June 30,
2008. The funding for that program would then be used in other HIV/AIDS
programs (such as the AIDS Drug Assistance Program or the Therapeutic
Monitoring Program). The subcommittee had also voted last week to accept
cuts to several HIV/AIDS programs: Home Health, Early Intervention
Services, and HIV Counseling & Testing.
Both Assembly and Senate budget committees also acted on other
proposed cuts affecting Californians living with HIV/AIDS:
Assembly Budget Subcommittee #1 on Health and Human Services:
Voted to restore the 10 percent Medi-Cal provider rate cut to dentists and
certain other providers.
Voted to retain Medi-Cal adult dental services, with no benefit eliminations.
Voted to retain all of the other Medi-Cal adult optional benefits that had
been proposed for elimination by the Governor.
Senate Budget Subcommittee #3 on Health, Human Services, Labor &
Veteran’s Affairs:
Voted to restore 5 percent of the 10 percent Medi-Cal provider rate
reduction that was done earlier in February. This means that this issue may
go to conference committee. If legislators are unable to balance the budget,
it is possible that the entire 10 percent cut could come back. However, a
lawsuit could block the implementation of the cut.
Voted to reject the governor’s proposal to eliminate Medi-Cal adult dental
benefits and to eliminate the sunset on the $1800 adult dental cap.
Voted to reject the governor’s proposal to eliminate several other Medi-Cal
adult optional benefits. No benefits were eliminated.
What Happens Next?
Once completed, subcommittee reports will be submitted to the full budget
committee for approval. Any revisions are incorporated into the budget bill
and sent to the full membership of each house for consideration. It is
possible for an Assembly or Senate budget bill to be amended on the floor.
Once both houses approve their respective budget bills, a joint budget
conference committee is formed to handle any differences. No public
testimony is heard during the conference committee hearings.
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