A significant number of the members of the LGBTQ community are now at risk especially those who are most vulnerable to HIV/Aids after it was found that the Trump administration plans to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA). That said a leading global prevention, care and advocacy organization have warned that the plan would most likely bring certain death to those living with HIV/AIDS. Just last Wednesday, the Gay Men's Health Crisis or GMHC has released a statement of disapproval for U.S. President Donald J. Trump's call to repeal and replace Obamacare.
Repulsion And Replacement Of ACA
According to reports revealed by The Guardian, before the ACA had been passed, only about 13 percent of people with HIV had private health insurance and 24 percent had no coverage at all. Health experts have described ACA as a real lifesaver for many people living with HIV such as its subsidies for private insurance and its robust expansion of Medicaid in many states have greatly increased their access to medical treatment. The Centers for Disease Control explains that because of ACA, Medicaid in many states have greatly increased their access to medical treatment considering that only about half of African Americans with HIV have access to continuous medical treatment before ACA has been observed.
Meanwhile, in one of his statements reported by South Florida Gay News, US President Trump has claimed that the former president's signature piece of legislation was something that is unsustainable and collapsing, which made him to call for a repulsion and replacement of the Obamacare with reforms that expand choice, increase access, lower costs and at the same time provide better healthcare. However, GMHC Chief Executive Officer Kelsey Louie said that these shocking, irresponsible cuts would come just as we are finally poised to make real progress in containing the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Additionally, a number of science advocates have also been alarmed when the Environmental Protection Agency was told that they are no longer allowed to talk to the public about the repulsion because, among other reasons, the EPA protects the public from environmental harm by giving information and guidance.
ACA's Status Quo
As of the press time, ACA remains an important channel of government information about HIV/Aids particularly in terms of funding prevention programs. In his recently concluded Capitol Hills address, Trump said government mandated healthcare was never the right solution. Ultimately, Louie believes that the disaster lies in a repeal of the ACA since it could possibly result in the loss of affordable, accessible health care for at least 3.4 millions of lives.
