MAP Advocate Vol. 6 No. 1

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MAP Advocate

AIDS Advocacy Update
Vol. 6 No. 1 ( January 4, 2000)

In this issue:

AIDS Action Day 2000 Set for February 3d
STD Prevention Back on the Action Agenda
Improve Access to HIV Specialty Care
Preserving Comprehensive Sexual Health Education
Register for Action Day 2000

AIDS Action Day 2000 Set for February 3

Mark your calendars, the annual AIDS Action Day is Thursday, February 3. It's a chance to meet legislators face-to-face, and to press concerns about HIV and related health issues. The focus of AIDS Action Day will be to pass STD prevention funding and ensure access to HIV specialty care (see issue briefings below). You won't want to miss the opportunity to be part of the meetings with your lawmakers, so contact MAP Public Policy by phone or e-mail to register for Action Day. (Action Day was previously announced for February 10. Due to legislative scheduling, it has been moved to February 3.)

STD Prevention back on the Action Agenda

One-half-of-one-half-of-one-half of one percent of the $1.6 billion budget surplus. Is that too much to ask? MAP proposes investing $2.6 million to expand testing for STDs, increase education and awareness, and improve research. Rep. Lee Greenfield (D-Mpls) and Sen. Pat Piper (D-Austin) will introduce a MAP-backed bill to advance STD prevention. Recent studies show HIV is more easily transmitted when a person has a STD, and that prevention of STDs helps reduce HIV infection. Word on the street is that the Governor will not allow a supplemental budget this legislative session, except for emergency funding. MAP believes STDs constitute an "urgent needs" budget because they have long gone unnoticed as one of the most serious health issues facing young people, women, gay and bisexual men and communities of color.

Improve Access to HIV Specialty Care

Specialty Care is critical in sustaining positive health outcomes for people with HIV. Yet, HIV specialty clinics are increasingly under pressure to increase revenues or face possible closure. As HIV care becomes more complex and time consuming, much of the care is being provided without compensation. Factors contributing to the problem of uncompensated care are low reimbursement rates from public and private health programs and a growing number of under and uninsured patients. Additionally, people with HIV are being asked to shoulder more of the payment responsibility through larger deductibles, co-payments and other cost-sharing mechanism creating huge barriers to care. To address these concerns, MAP will advance a legislative proposal to expand the State insurance program to help pay for health care costs other than just premiums. MAP will also closely monitor a number of bills on this issue that are expected to come from the work of the Commissioner's Task Force on Uncompensated Care.

Preserving Comprehensive Sexual Health Education

Expect the debate about sexual health education to emerge again. The Minnesota Family Council pushed hard last year to force one-size-fits-all, "abstinence only until marriage" restrictions on school and public health services. Recently, MAP has helped form a broad-based coalition to counter these attacks, and to advance support for reality-based sexual health education. Contact MAP for more information about the coalition called Sex Education for Life-Mn.

Take Action! REGISTER NOW FOR AIDS ACTION 2000 Thursday, Feb. 3

To register contact us at:
612-341-2060 (metro)
800-243-7321 (statewide) or
mappub@mnaidsproject.org

Or, check out our web site:
www.mnaidsproject.org

How AIDS Action Day Works:

Once you register, MAP will schedule legislative appointments. Please try to keep your calendar open until you hear from us.

MAP tries to schedule appointments with your senator and representative as close together as possible. This limits the amount of time you have to spend at the Capitol.

We ask that you show up an hour before your first appointment to prepare for your meeting and meet others who may be joining you.

MAP will send in advance info on your legislator, how to conduct an Action Day visit, and the issues to be discussed. At Action Day, we will offer brief follow-up sessions to address last minute questions.

Lunch and refreshments will be provided.

Last Updated: Friday, March 30, 2007
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