Is AIDSTanzania going to go political and talk about the pros/cons of the healthcare reform storm that is sweeping the nation? No. But it is worth thinking about how the healthcare bill will affect those at risk for HIV and those already living with HIV/AIDS. For example, read the following quote from the AlterNet.org article: “Forty-five percent of people with HIV/AIDS in the United States have incomes under $10,000 a year, and 50 percent lack regular medical coverage.” That is a staggering statistic.
With all of the talk about who really benefits from the bill, who doesn’t benefit, and what this will do to our disenfranchised citizens, it is worth thinking about those who are some of the most disenfranchised of all – those living with HIV/AIDS and who are already struggling to get access to affordable, non-discriminatory, and beneficial healthcare. Also, any type of freeze to domestic spending on health and human service programs will hurt both those who are HIV-positive and those who are at risk.
No matter what your political position, something to think about.
AIDSTanzania 