Obama Rules To Extend Ryan White Act And To Eliminate HIV Entry Ban
On Friday, President Obama signed legislation to extend the Ryan White Care Act and announced a final decision to eliminate the HIV entry ban.
Since 1987, HIV-positive people have been turned away at immigration. In July 2009 the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) proposed to remove HIV from the list of diseases that pose a public health threat.
The CDC’s proposal stated that HIV is not a “communicable disease that is a significant threat for introduction, transmission, and spread to the U.S. population through casual contact.”
The final decision will be formally published on Monday in the Federal Register, the official daily publication of rules and notices of Federal agencies.
The repeal will take effect in early January 2010, allowing non-U.S. citizens infected with HIV to enter the country. This ruling marks the administration’s commitment to ending the stigma associated with HIV.
President Obama also signed the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Treatment Extension Act of 2009, which renews the Ryan White Program set to expire at the end of September.
Created in honor of a teenager expelled from school due to his illness in 1985, it is the largest federal program specifically dedicated to providing HIV care and treatment.
The Ryan White Program financially supports cities, states, and local communities that have the greatest need for HIV/AIDS life-saving medical care, medications, and support services. More than half a million people each year are helped through this program, many of whom have little or no health insurance.
For more information, please visit the official White House Web site and a previous AIDS Beacon article about the immigration ban.
Related Articles:
- Cap On Ryan White Program’s Emergency Housing Assistance Will Not Be Enforced
- HHS To Award $1.8 Billion To Help Individuals With HIV/AIDS
- As HIV Travel Ban Ends, First HIV-Positive Visitor In 23 Years Lands In The United States
- Beacon NewsFlashes – October 23, 2009
- Government Website Outlines New Insurance Options For Patients With Pre-existing Conditions, Including HIV/AIDS
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