NASTAD Releases Key Findings of the 2016 National AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP) Monitoring Project Report

Today, the National Alliance of State and Territorial AIDS Directors (NASTAD) released key findings of the 2016 National ADAP Monitoring Project Annual Report. The National ADAP Monitoring Project is NASTAD's long-standing effort to document new developments and challenges faced by AIDS Drug Assistance Programs (ADAPs), assessing key trends over time and providing the latest available data on the status of ADAPs. Since 1996, NASTAD has provided comprehensive analysis about ADAPs through The Report.

The Report provides an overview of the status of ADAPs following full implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The Report includes:

• Background and context

• Key findings

• Infographic that details three ways ADAPs have improved health outcomes

• Detailed charts and tables

Among the key findings:

• In 2015, the number of clients served by the full-pay medication component of ADAPs was 8% less than the number of clients that were served through this approach in 2002. By comparison, the number of clients served by ADAP-funded insurance purchasing increased by 1162% between 2002 and 2015 which now includes more than 70,000 individuals.

• If all 20 of the remaining non-Medicaid expansion states were to expand Medicaid eligibility to 138% of FPL, 33,828 of the ADAP clients served in June 2015 would be eligible to transition into Medicaid coverage. This "Medicaid Gap" has likely exacerbated health disparities among states and placed a significant burden on ADAPs in non-Medicaid expansion states to continue to provide a safety net for low-income clients left out of health care reform.

• The majority (72%) of all clients served by ADAPs in June 2015 were reported as virally suppressed, defined as having a viral load less than or equal to 200 copies/mL. Eighty-seven percent of clients served by an ADAP-funded insurance program reported a suppressed viral load. Viral load suppression greatly reduces HIV transmission and rates for new infections.

As the systems for health care and public health continue to grow and change, ADAPs have undergone significant transformations in their structure and service provision in order to remain relevant in ensuring access to care and treatment for PLWH. This includes assisting clients in accessing new forms of medications and medical coverage as well as maintaining vital services through the Ryan White Program. This nimble and progressive approach has positioned ADAPs as a sustainable model for optimizing health outcomes for the clients they serve and as an effective complement to the broader health system.

Please contact Britten Pund with questions regarding The Report.

Learn more about ADAP here.