Financial Assistance for Floridians
with HIV/AIDS

Medication Assistance
Housing Assistance
Insurance Assistance

Florida's AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP)

ADAP is intended to help HIV positive people stay healthy by assisting with the purchase of HIV prescription medications. ADAP provides HIV drug treatments for people who do not have private health insurance, do not qualify for Medicaid, or are awaiting Medicaid eligibility and cannot afford to purchase the medications themselves.

Who Is Eligible For ADAP In Florida?
To be enrolled in ADAP you must:
Be HIV positive with proof.
Have an income less than 350% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines.
Have less than $25,000 in assets, excluding a home and car

Who Is Not Eligible For ADAP In Florida?
Persons in institutional care (i.e. hospital or correctional facility).
Persons with health insurance that covers pharmaceuticals or Medicaid.
Persons with an income above 350% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines.
Persons with assets over $25,000, excluding a home and car

How Do I Enroll In ADAP?
Visit your local County Health Department and speak with the person in charge of the AIDS Drug Assistance Program. The staff will help you complete the application. Unfortunately, due to limited funding, not everyone who applies for services and is otherwise eligible will receive services. Should ADAP services be unavailable, other possible funding options can be sought with the assistance of a case manager or health department staff.

What Do I Need?
At time of enrollment you need to have in hand: Your HIV positive documentation. Prescriptions from a Florida licensed doctor. Current (less than 4 months) Viral Load and/or CD4 test results.

What Medicines Are Covered By ADAP?
The Florida Deparment of Health, Bureau of AIDS maintains a listing current ADAP medicines.

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Florida's Housing Opportunities for People with AIDS (HOPWA)

What is HOPWA?
The Housing Opportunities for Persons With AIDS, known as HOPWA, is funded through a grant from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to provide states and designated eligible metropolitan areas with resources and incentives for meeting the housing needs of persons with HIV disease and AIDS. The Department of Health, which contracts with lead agency organizations at the local level, administers Florida's HOPWA program.

What Services are Provided?
The state HOPWA program provides temporary housing assistance to eligible individuals. The services include: Transitional Housing, assistance with Rent, Mortgage, Utilities and Supportive Services (such as Case Management) Services are provided to income eligible individuals with documented HIV disease and their families. By coordinating HOPWA services through the Ryan White Title II consortia, HOPWA participants have ready access to a variety of support services which contribute to a stable housing situation. Services not approved include: Payments which exceed actual costs, payments made directly to clients, cash payments of any kind (including checks made out to cash), property taxes that are not included in mortgage payments, long distance telephone charges, fines and penalties, down payment or closing costs on a home.

Whom Do I Contact?
HOPWA is administered by lead agencies in ten consortium areas throughout the state. The Bureau of AIDS maintains current contact information for the HOPWA lead agencies.

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Florida's AIDS Insurance Continuation Program (AICP)

What Is The AIDS Insurance Continuation Program?
The AIDS Insurance Continuation Program (AICP) is a statewide program for persons who are diagnosed with AIDS or are HIV positive with symptoms and who, because of their illness, are unable to maintain their private health insurance coverage. The program makes direct payments (up to $650/month) to each client's employer or insurance company for the continuation of medical, dental, mental health, and optical coverage. AICP does not pay for disability or life insurance. AICP will also pay any fees associated with conversion of a COBRA policy to an individual policy or policy upgrades. The program will also pay client co-payments and deductibles on an as needed basis. AICP is funded by Florida's Department of Health, Bureau of AIDS through a combination of federal and state monies. The program is managed by the Health Council of South Florida, Inc., a private, nonprofit health planning agency. It is administered through local community-based organizations (CBOs) throughout Florida. Contact the enrollment site in your area to apply for AICP.

Who Benefits From AICP?
AICP benefits participants, health care providers, and the government. Participants are able to remain under the care of their doctors without worrying that they will be forced to accept alternative coverage, such as Medicaid. Also, since AICP clients retain their private insurance, they generally have greater access to various HIV/AIDS treatments. Providers such as doctors and hospitals also benefit from the AICP because private health insurance companies tend to offer higher payment rates than public programs. The Government and thus the public achieve savings as a result of the AICP. Insurance companies continue to pay for actual health care and treatment, while the program pays for each AICP client's insurance premium. This relieves the public from paying the full cost of HIV/AIDS care.

Who Is Eligible For AICP?
Depending on the availability of funds, the AICP is open to Florida residents who meet all of the following requirements:

•	Diagnosis of AIDS, or HIV positive with symptoms
•	Monthly gross income less than or equal to 300% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines
•	Cash assets less than or equal to $4,500 for one person, $5,500 for a family
•	Life insurance policies and Individual Retirement Accounts do not count as cash assets.
•	Willing to sign all forms and provide eligibility information
•	Currently covered by private health insurance (including COBRA, group, or individual policies

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If you live in Florida and you need additional information about HIV/AIDS assistance programs or any HIV-related issues, please call the Florida HIV/AIDS Hotline or send us a message.

If you live outside of Florida, visit The Body to find an AIDS hotline near you.