A proposed service cut to Medicaid may make it moredifficult for people living with HIV to access once-a-day combination pills,according to a statement released by the AIDS Foundation of Chicago (AFC). TheAFC has warned that the budget recommendations will create barriers to care andultimately raise health care costs—research shows that people with HIV who needto take one pill a day are more likely to adhere to treatment plans, whichresults in healthier patients and fewer hospitalizations. Illinois Governor PatQuinn has proposed instituting prior authorization for combo HIV meds, meaning peoplewill have to wait days before they obtain medication. The AFC is asking thegovernor and the General Assembly to vote down the proposal as well anyreduction in community-based services.

To read the AIDS Foundation of Chicago statement, click here.