Obama Asks for More HIV Money

President Obama has amended his pending budget request for the upcoming year for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to include $400 million more for HIV/AIDS programs, high-risk insurance pools, and health worker training.

The president is seeking $30 million more for state programs that provide drugs for people living with HIV and $35 million more for HIV/AIDS prevention initiatives and research programs. The Administration has been facing criticism from the AIDS Healthcare Foundation and other advocacy groups that claim it has not devoted enough money to AIDS programs.

The president’s request calls for $250 million for programs to train primary care physicians and health care workers who focus on care for seniors. He also asked for more funding for programs related to the health reform law, including an additional $55 million to help states establish high-risk insurance pools and $30 million more for consumer information about health insurance.

White House officials said the request proposes several spending offsets, including a reduction in buildings, facilities, and construction funding for the National Institutes of Health as well as cuts to grants to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.