Policy Statement: Protecting Essential HIV/AIDS Healthcare Services
Budget FY2026
Purpose: To ensure continued funding and support for comprehensive HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment, and research programs that protect public health and save lives while reducing long-term healthcare costs.
Key Policy Points:
- Healthcare Access & Prevention
- Maintain full funding for CDC’s Division of HIV Prevention (DHP)
- Preserve state and local HIV prevention program funding
- Support evidence-based prevention strategies
- Protect existing healthcare infrastructure
- Treatment & Support Services
- Maintain Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program funding
- Preserve HOPWA housing assistance program
- Protect dental care access and provider education
- Support comprehensive mental health and substance abuse services
- Research & Development
- Maintain NIH research funding levels
- Preserve critical research networks and trials
- Support continued scientific leadership
- Protect essential research infrastructure
- Economic Impact
- Prevent projected $60.3B increase in lifetime healthcare costs
- Avoid 143,486 preventable new HIV infections by 2030
- Maintain cost-effective prevention programs
- Protect 45,000 housing-vulnerable individuals
- Global Health Leadership
- Maintain PEPFAR funding and global health initiatives
- Support international HIV/AIDS prevention efforts
- Preserve diplomatic relationships in global health
- Continue US leadership in worldwide disease prevention
Fiscal Responsibility: Investment in prevention and treatment now prevents substantially higher costs later, while protecting public health and maintaining essential healthcare infrastructure.
Call to Action: We call upon Congress to:
- Maintain current funding levels for all HIV/AIDS programs
- Protect existing healthcare infrastructure
- Support evidence-based prevention and treatment
- Preserve housing assistance programs
- Continue global health leadership