State gets $1 million for HIV/AIDS meds

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SPRINGFIELD -- Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich announced that price concessions negotiated from drug manufacturers will bring the state an additional $1 million for its drug assistance program for people with HIV and AIDS. As part of the agreement, which was worked out by state HIV/AIDS directors from throughout the country and including Illinois, the various rebates, price freezes and discounts are back-dated to purchases from as early as July 2003 and are to be effective until March 30, 2005. The Illinois Department of Public Health administers the state's $35 million AIDS Drug Assistance Program. "This is a good program," said Craig Beintema, administrator of the Bureau County Health Department. "It targets people with low incomes for drug assistance, and it's a worthwhile program for many, many citizens." In his announcement, Blagojevich said Illinois has one of the premier HIV/AIDS drug assistance programs in the country. "There currently are no waiting lists for people who need assistance, and the list of drugs provided exceeds that of most state programs," Blagojevich said. "This additional money will only help to make our program even better." In addition to the savings from the price concessions, the recently approved budget includes an additional $3.1 million boost to expand and improve the program. The increased spending provides $1.6 million to add medicines to treat the adverse side effects of AIDS drugs and $1.5 million to add other drugs, cover higher drug prices, and pay for an anticipated growth in clients. Currently, the program provides 72 life-saving medications to an average of more than 3,000 HIV-infected clients a month who have a gross income at or below 400 percent of poverty ($37,240 for one person or $49,960 for a family of two). Since the AIDS epidemic began in 1981, Illinois has reported 30,206 AIDS cases, the sixth highest total in the United States.