Copyright 2000 The Chronicle Publishing Co.
The San
Francisco Chronicle
AUGUST 27, 2000, SUNDAY, SUNDAY EDITION
SECTION: EDITORIAL; Pg. 6; EDITORIALS
LENGTH: 345 words
HEADLINE:
Saving the Ryan White Act
BODY:
BOTH the House and
Senate have agreed to renew the Ryan White CARE Act for another
five years, but under a formula that may slash the amount of federal AIDS money
spent in San Francisco.
It would be a sad mistake to shortchange the
city that has been a leader in the humane and enlightened treatment of AIDS
patients and a model for communities everywhere.
House-Senate conferees
are working to resolve differences in the bills to reauthorize the act for
another five years at a total cost of $7 billion, or
$1.4 billion per year. The San Francisco metropolitan area --
including San Mateo and Marin counties -- received about $35.2
million in Ryan White funds last year.
The House bill would change
funding rules to target HIV infections rather than full-blown AIDS cases and
shift money to communities where the disease is on the rise, especially among
minorities and women.
Under that bill, San Francisco could lose up to 25
percent of its Ryan White money in five years. The Senate version of the bill
would have more modest cuts that could reduce San Francisco's share by 10
percent.
Backers of the House bill argue San Francisco receives twice as
much Ryan White money as any other city. They note San Francisco receives
$4,938 per AIDS case, while Oakland gets only
$2,430.
Certainly no patients should receive less in
federal help just because they live in another city, nor should San Francisco's
innovative HIV/AIDS programs be cut back at a time of a booming economy and
budget surpluses.
The Ryan White Act, which expires on Sept. 30, is the
main source of support for cities to deliver medical care, life-prolonging
treatments, housing and other services to low-income and uninsured AIDS
patients.
Few programs have such a practical and beneficial impact as
the Ryan White Act. Now, with new ways to treat and manage the disease, is a
time to expand the program to include more cities and more people.
This
is no time for cutbacks in such vital services that often make the difference
between life and death.
LOAD-DATE:
August 28, 2000 
