for ADAP dossier

AIDS Drug Assistance Program

After months of ACT UP actions, we have a partial Victory in the struggle to fully fund ADAP -$44 million won! $8 million this year and 12 million /year for the following 3 years, and

if we stop now we may not have any drug restoration.
Background Information  ~ Actions Dossier
7-25-96 Conversation with Galen Schurwin

Called Galen Schurwin from Catherine Abate's office at 212-417-5504. She said we won $8 million this year, and $12 million/year for the next 3 years. This is in the compromise budget agreement, so the governor will sign it. She suggested talking to Richard Conti, Dick Godfries' aide at 518-455-4941. She also said that this budget agreement does not guarantee restoration of the drugs cut from the formulary. The AIDS Institute decides what drugs to pay for.

7-25-96 Conversation with Richard Conti

He said a 4 year plan passed, $8 million comes out of the general budget this year , 12 million comes from the Hospital Reimbursement program (NYFHRM) the following 3 years . This bill directs DeBuono, the health commissioner to spend a % of the Hospital Reimbursement program's budget that will amount to 12 million on ADAP. This is termed "off budget" because it does not go through as the comptrollers office. Conti said this was better than an appropriations bill because of the extra paperwork and delays it will cost. In addition the institute can hold this money over from year to year should there be a surplus.

This means from now till Jan. 1, 1997 there is 8 million
from Jan. 1, 1997-Dec... 31, 1998 .there is 12 million
from Jan. 1, 1998-Dec. 31, 1999. there is 12 million
from Jan. 1, 1999-Dec. 31, 2000. there is 12 million.

He assures us this is secure. We will see.

This falls short of the $25 million that the institute calculated it needed to fill the short-fall this year. The institute's number may be low as well. We have 8 million from the state and the recent $9-10 million from the Supplemental appropriation from the federal government enacted in April or May. That is only $17-18 million. That means a shortfall of $7-8 million.

Richard Conti reinforced the authority of Abates aide by saying there is total flexibility for the institute to decide what drugs to provide. The AIDS institute is looking at other new drugs besides the protease inhibitors. He said they will be reluctant to add the old drugs back if they think they will run out of money. We need to remember that blood boosting drugs like nupogen and epogen will not necessarily be added back, nor any of the other 130 drugs cut Jan. 1, 1996.

If we don't push for restoration as much of the old formulary as possible these drugs may never be restored.

We need to pressure the NY AIDS Intitute to make the right decisions.