Category Archives: News

NIH-supported study provides evidence for implementing approach broadly.

A study published today in the New England Journal of Medicine provides real-world evidence that implementing a combination of proven HIV prevention measures across communities can substantially reduce new HIV infections in a population.

Investigators found that HIV incidence dropped by 42 percent among nearly 18,000 people in Rakai District, Uganda, during a seven-year period in which the rates of HIV treatment and voluntary medical male circumcision increased significantly.

The HIV prevention strategy whose impact was observed in the study is based on earlier findings by the National Institutes of Health and others demonstrating the protective effect of voluntary medical male circumcision for HIV-uninfected men and of HIV-suppressing antiretroviral therapy (ART) for halting sexual transmission of the virus to uninfected partners. The strategy is also based on studies showing that changes in sexual behavior, such as having only one sexual partner, can help prevent HIV infection….

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Despite remarkable gains in the treatment and prevention of HIV infection, development of an effective HIV vaccine likely will be necessary to achieve a durable end to the HIV/AIDS pandemic, according to a new commentary from Anthony S. Fauci, M.D., director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health.

Theoretically, effective global implementation of existing HIV treatment and prevention tools could end the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Antiretroviral therapy that suppresses HIV both benefits the health of those living with HIV and prevents viral transmission to their HIV-negative sexual partners. Additionally, strategies such as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) can effectively prevent HIV acquisition among people at high risk for infection.

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• Open enrollment begins Nov. 1 and runs through Jan. 31 — twice as long as the federal open-enrollment period.
• New data on affordability shows that what 1.1 million subsidized consumers pay for their coverage will decrease by an average of 1.5 percent in 2018.
• Consumers in the individual market who do not receive subsidies will pay an average of $115 per month less than in 2017 thanks to California’s healthy risk mix.
• A $111 million investment in marketing and outreach includes new statewide multi-cultural, multi-lingual television ads delivering the message that “Life can change in an instant.”
• Newly designed “responsive” website and provider search tools will make shopping easier than ever before.
• Covered California will promote the beginning of open enrollment with a 22-stop bus tour visiting 19 cities throughout California, including locations where murals will be painted to attract attention to enrollment locations and promote health.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Covered California will kick off open enrollment Wednesday with the launch of a new comprehensive marketing and outreach campaign as well as upgrades to the consumer shopping experience for those seeking health insurance.

“While we know there is confusion because of the uncertainty in Washington, we want people to know that Covered California is rock solid,” said Peter V. Lee, executive director of Covered California. “We’re offering stability, choice and affordable options in 2018 in the face of uncertainty in much of the country.”

Open enrollment is the one time of year when anyone who needs health insurance can enroll without needing to meet special qualifying conditions. Covered California’s open-enrollment period will continue for three months, while open enrollment in 42 other states will end on Dec. 15.

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October 18, 2017 – The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) announced today approximately $2.36 billion in Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program grants awarded to cities, counties, states, and local community-based organizations in fiscal year (FY) 2017. This funding supports a comprehensive system of HIV primary medical care, medication, and essential support services to more than half a million people living with HIV in the United States.

“The Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program plays a critical role in the United States’ public health response to HIV,” said HRSA Administrator George Sigounas, MS, Ph.D. “These grants will ensure that the most vulnerable Americans living with HIV/AIDS will have access to the necessary care and treatment needed to improve their health quality and medical outcomes.”

HRSA oversees the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program, which is a patient-centered system that provides care and treatment services to low income people living with HIV to improve health outcomes and reduce HIV transmission among hard to reach populations. The program serves more than 50 percent of people living with diagnosed HIV infection in the United States.

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