[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 48 (Wednesday, April 4, 2001)]
[House]
[Page H1414]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            SUPPORT CRUCIAL FUNDING FOR RYAN WHITE CARE ACT

  (Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, my home State of Florida ranks third 
in people reporting full-blown AIDS and, in my district of Miami, 
fourth in the top 10 cities. The lifetime medical cost of one AIDS case 
is estimated at $69,000, which means that uninsured or underinsured 
patients would have little or no recourse for affording treatment if it 
were not for the Ryan White Care Act.
  These programs have been a critical source of care and services for 
people living and dealing with HIV/AIDS. The Ryan White Care Act 
provides funding to support a range of HIV care and services, from HIV 
testing and counseling to prescription drugs and home hospice care. It 
is founded on a strong partnership between the Federal Government, 
States and local communities, and it emphasizes less costly outpatient 
and primary care to prevent expensive emergency room visits and 
hospitalizations.
  The Ryan White Care Act serves approximately 500,000 individuals with 
HIV and AIDS every year. The reauthorization of this act last October 
was a great victory for the AIDS community. It was a victory for 
America's 400,000 plus families who will lose a loved one this year to 
AIDS. On their behalf, we ask our colleagues to support crucial funding 
for the Ryan White Care Act this year.

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