Tuesday, October 14, 2008

HIV, AIDS and the Presidential Candidates


So where do the candidates stand? For starters, they both fully support President Bush's PREFAR program - but that's focused on the epidemic overseas.


So, what if you're one of the 1.2 million Americans living with HIV/AIDS? "We have to have a more effective AIDS policy. Studies have shown we may have undercounted the incidence of AIDS in this country," Barack Obama said. Obama's plan begins with his promise to sign universal health care legislation by the end of his first term as president. He wants to prevent HIV through sex education and by promoting HIV testing in minority communities.
The cornerstone of the Obama plan calls for a national HIV/AIDS strategy involving all federal agencies. "When we give money to developing countries to fight AIDS, we demand they have a national strategy. And yet we don't have a national AIDS strategy in this country," Wilson said.


"I think we need a domestic plan," Sen. John McCain said. McCain's prescription to prevent HIV: Emphasize abstinence programs. For those with pre-existing conditions such as AIDS, he wants to establish "guaranteed access plans" for affordable insurance. His prescription for rising drug costs? Greater competition among drug companies. But the centerpiece of the McCain blueprint? A $2,500 tax credit for individuals to purchase the health care coverage of their choice.

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