AIDS

Lakeland residents face higher electric bills, while a Senate bill transferring USF Sarasota-Manatee land to New College vanishes — leaving both energy costs and campus plans in uncertainty.

The cuts to the AIDS Drug Assistance Program, which will reduce the income eligibility for aid and remove a key medication from coverage, are slated to take effect Saturday.

The AHF wants a court to resume proceedings in a legal challenge to the DeSantis administration’s move to reduce enrollment eligibility in a program that helps people purchase medications.

Michael Emanuel Rajner says lawmakers are willing to shore up a purported $120 million deficit in the medication program and the health department "needs to stand down."

The AIDS Healthcare Foundation calls the bill a "ramsom note" after it sued the health department for failing to comply with a public records request related to altering ADAP.

The state attempted to announce changes to the AIDS Drug Assistance Program in January, but was sued for not adhering to its formal rules making process.

The DeSantis administration announced Tuesday that it's developing three new rules meant to curb spending in a federally funded program that provides benefits to people with HIV and AIDS.

The complaint filed by the AIDS Healthcare Foundation claims that the state illegally changed rules regarding income eligibility thresholds for the AIDS Drug Assistance Program.

State officials said the change is being made to prevent a shortfall of more than $120 million in the program for low-income people living with HIV.

President Donald Trump is removing a large portion of HIV funding he previously greenlit for a future without AIDs. For states like Florida, that could be a problem.

 Elizabeth Sherman, an HIV clinical pharmacy specialist and an associate professor at Nova Southeastern, says the cuts have real time implications for "real human lives."

Big Bend Cares has been serving the capital region's HIV and AIDS patients for 40 years. Tynan comes from many years of leadership in various human service organizations.