Democrat members of Congress from South Florida joined health care advocates on Wednesday to denounce the Florida health department's decision to reduce the number of residents eligible for the state's AIDS Drug Assistance Program.
State officials said the action is being taken to prevent a shortfall of more than $120 million in the program for low-income people living with HIV. They said the changes in income eligibility requirements are driven by the failure of Congress last year to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits.
U.S. Reps Lois Frankel, Debbie Wasserman Schultz and Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick were among those calling on Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis to help cover the cost of the drugs to HIV/AIDS patients.
"The changes would strip coverage from tens of thousands of people who depend on the program to remain healthy and stable, participate in the economy and civic life, and prevent transmission," they said on Wednesday before a virtual news conference.
On Tuesday, more than 100 health care advocates converged on the steps of the historic state Capitol in Tallahassee to call attention to the planned "drastic cuts." The rally was led by the AIDS Healthcare Foundation.
The congresswomen and advocates said the change, which takes effect March 1, will leave single-person households earning more than $20,345 and four-person households earning more than $41,795 ineligible for insurance coverage assistance. They say the average lifetime treatment costs for those with HIV/AIDS can run as high as $1 million.
"DeSantis' administration is choosing ideology and austerity over human life," Carl Baloney Jr., president and CEO of AIDS United, said in a statement. "It will result in missed doses, treatment interruption, avoidable illness and increased transmission."
"This is not just cruel; it is fiscally reckless," Baloney said. "The state will pay more later in uncompensated care, hospitalizations and new infections."
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