HIV patients lose medications in Arizona budget cuts

The latest cut in drug assistance programs in Arizona is medication for those with HIV and AIDS. The state program has dropped the medications from their rosters leaving patients to find alternatives to stay alive.

Until last week Arizona covered seven pages of medication, that list has been shrunk down to a mere three this week. State officials insist that critical medications, anti-retrovirals and drugs fro opportuntitic infections are not affected in the cuts. Doctors are saying however that the medications that help ward against side effects have been taken off the list which could result in their patients getting sicker. The state says that the cuts had to happen when they were shorted $2.3 million of what was requested from the federal government. Arizona Star Net reports:

"We're left with just under $12 million and we'd hoped to be just under $14 million," Norton said. "This is what keeps you up at night. It's a tough one. You don't want to end those important, life-saving drugs."

Patients were sent letters on Tuesday informing them of the new changes.The changes will affect more than 1,100 patients. The ADAP program is for those patients that are not eligible for Arizona's Medicaid and yet are unable to have insurance. Those who are in the program have an income that's less than 300 percent of the federal poverty level, or about $32,490 per year for a family of one. The Southern Arizona AIDS Foundation is hoping that they can help find the medications for those who will be in need. That goal isn't easy as the medications are very expensive.