AIDS Drug Assistance Program
What is the 'AIDS Drug Assistance Program' or ADAP?
The AIDS Drug Assistance Program is also known as ADAP, and it is a national program that is funded by the U.S. Congress, and the program is managed by every state; for example, California has it's own ADAP program. There are some states in the U.S. that their ADAP programs are exceptionally good. California and New York are two excellent states that have good ADAP programs. What they do is they provide people with HIV who do not have health insurance or access to healthcare with HIV drugs or other lifesaving drugs that they need. Usually this will happen on a sliding fee scale basis or, in some cases, it would be offered free or just for a minimal copy.
Do all states have an ADAP program?
All states have an ADAP program, but not all states have good ones. For example, California and New York have excellent ADAP programs that cover a wide range of not just HIV drugs, but other important drugs as well. The requirements needed to get into a ADAP program vary depending upon the state and depending on how much money you make and how much access you have to health care. There may even be a waiting requirement. For example, North Carolina is notorious for under funding it's ADAP program, therefore, there's a long waiting list of people waiting to enroll in that program. As such, four people have recently died while on the waiting list of that ADAP program.
How do I learn more about my state's ADAP program?
The first step in learning about your states ADAP program is by calling your states AIDS hotline. With that call you will be directed to an AIDS service organization who can provide the paperwork and the counseling needed to enroll in that program. You may need to provide a lot of paperwork and proof if you've ever been denied health insurance. You may be required to submit tax forms to prove that your income is at a certain level, but the first step in finding an ADAP program is contacting your states AIDS hotline.