Illinois will expand limitations on state aid for HIV patients

The Illinois Department of Health will restrict the availability of financial support for HIV and AIDS medications to state residents who have annual earnings that total less than $32,670, according to a recent article published in the Windy City Times. This amount is nearly $13,000 less than the income cap that is currently set for individuals who enroll in the AIDS Drug Assistance Program, the newspaper explained.

The news provider said that more than 4,200 people use this program in order to afford treatments that cost upward of $18,000 annually.

"This is a sad day for the fight against HIV/AIDS in Illinois. The new policy will keep ADAP out-of-reach for hundreds of individuals who have nowhere else to turn for help. Many will simply forgo treatment, at great risk to themselves and their partners," David Ernesto Munar of the AIDS Foundation of Chicago told the news source.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 1.1 million Americans are living with HIV, and about 50,000 new infections are reported each year.