| April
21, 2006
This Week in Washington
1. Effort to Push Back Medicare Part D Deadline
2. California Passes Names Reporting
Announcements
1. Changes to Weekly Update News Coverage
2. AIDS Action Government Affairs Job Listing
3. NAPWA to Hold AIDSWatch 2006 from May 8 - 10
This Week in Washington
1. Effort to Push Back Medicare Part D Deadline
On Wednesday, April 19th a bipartisan group of senators requested
by letter that Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN) bring
legislation to the Senate floor to extend the new Medicare drug
benefit enrollment period without penalty. The deadline which
is written into the original Medicare Part D legislation (which
created a new program to help seniors pay for prescription drugs)
will require beneficiaries, including beneficiaries living with
HIV, to pay a 1 percent increase in premiums for each month delayed
as a penalty for failure to enroll. The percent increase is permanent.
Senators Bill Nelson (D-FL) and Olympia Snowe (R-ME) have filed
legislation (S.1841 and S. 2168) to change the deadline to the
end of 2006. Although there appear to be a majority of votes to
change the deadline, there do not appear to be enough votes to
overcome the 60 votes necessary for passage due to parliamentary
maneuvers by supporters of maintaining the deadlines. The Bush
Administration has stated that they are unable to extend the deadlines
by regulation since they are set in the law.
2. California Passes Names
Reporting
On April 17, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) signed
a bill into law which requires the state of California to begin
tracking cases of HIV by name. The law passed unanimously by the
State Senate and State Assembly. California already tracks AIDS
cases by name and the new HIV reporting system will duplicate
the AIDS case reporting system. Passage of the law appeared to
come partly in response to concerns that the state would face
funding losses under the Ryan White CARE Act if it maintained
its code based system.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC) has stated that it will not accept HIV data from states
that use code-based systems. The CDC has claimed that they are
unable to ensure that a person counted in one state won’t also
be counted in another state and that code-based systems are expensive.
Proponents of code-based systems have said that they are better
able to protect the confidentiality of people living with HIV
from disclosure and that an IOM study in 2004 concluded that the
CDC could create a system capable of accurately accounting for
HIV cases. Six states (Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts,
Rhode Island, and Vermont) and Washington, DC currently use code-based
systems of HIV reporting, and five states (Delaware, Maine, Montana,
Oregon, and Washington) use name-to-code based reporting, which
is also not accepted by the CDC.
For more information: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-hiv18apr18,1,3065129.story?ctrack=1&cset=true
Announcements
1. Changes to Weekly Update News
Coverage
In an effort to better focus on current HIV policy issues at the
federal and state level, AIDS Action’s Weekly Update will
no longer include an “In the News Section.” The Weekly Update
will continue to highlight important policy news that affects
HIV and AIDS. To maintain HIV news coverage, please consider signing
up for the news service provided by the Kaiser Family Foundation.
On a daily basis this service offers daily news on issues related
to HIV and AIDS in the United States and around the world, and
it’s emailed directly to you. The link is below.
According to the website, “the Henry J.
Kaiser Family Foundation is a non-profit, private operating foundation
focusing on the major health care issues facing the nation. The
Foundation is an independent voice and source of facts and analysis
for policymakers, the media, the health care community, and the
general public.” HIV has been one of the top priority issues
for the Foundation. Of its twelve main topics, HIV is the focus
of two: “HIV/AIDS” and “Youth & HIV/STDs.”
The Foundation develops and runs its own research
and communications programs, often in partnership with outside
organizations. The Foundation contracts with a wide range of outside
individuals and organizations through its programs. The Foundation
is not associated with Kaiser Permanente or Kaiser Industries.
The following link has been provided for your
convenience to sign up for the Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS News Report:
http://www.kaisernetwork.org/dailyreports/hiv.
2. AIDS Action Government
Affairs Job Listing
AIDS Action recently announced that it is seeking a new government
affairs associate. Here is the listing. We encourage all qualified
applicants to consider applying.
POSITION ANNOUNCEMENT Government Affairs
Associate
Job Description
The Government Affairs Associate, under supervision of the Director
of Government Affairs, the Government Affairs Associate researches
and analyzes HIV related policy and legislative issues to inform
federal advocacy efforts. The GA Associate Provides logistical
and technical support to the Government Affairs team, helps to
write and carry out campaigns for signature letters, drafts and
activates the AIDS Action “Action Alerts” targeting broad membership,
prepares advocacy talking points, presents legislative strategy
and updates. The GA Associate conducts research on specific issues
impacting individuals living with HIV/AIDS, the organizations
that serve them and the communities in which they live. She or
he participates in the development of policy fact sheets, background
memos, The Weekly Update (an online member newsletter), action
alerts and other public policy documents. The GA Associate will
report to the Director of Government Affairs and will work closely
with the Political Director.
Job Duties
- Researches and collects data to inform federal
HIV/AIDS policy
- Identifies data sources and resources
- Monitors and evaluates HIV-related legislation
and regulations impacting HIV care, treatment, and prevention
- Prepares advocacy materials and talking
points for Congress and Administration visits.
- Organizes lobbying and advocacy days for
organization members and schedules meetings with staff members
of elected officials
- Manages online “legislative action center”
to provide constituents with up-to-date advocacy information
- Develops and disseminates Action Alerts,
State Fact Sheets, Legislative Updates, sign on letters and
articles for The Weekly Update
- Maintains appropriations and budget chart
information
- Prepares briefing materials for Executive
Board and Public Policy Committee meetings
- Assists in the research and preparation
of HIV/AIDS related publications
- Proofreads materials for public dissemination
- Coordinates Hill briefings on HIV and other
related health systems issues
- Represents AIDS Action at conferences, meetings
and workshops
- Attends congressional briefings, congressional
hearings and other policy related meetings
- Other duties as assigned
Required Knowledge and Skills
- Excellent written and oral communication
skills
- Basic knowledge of research concepts and
principles
- Strong organizational and work management
skills including ability to work independently, handle multiple
projects simultaneously, work under pressure and handle tight
deadlines
- Minimum of three years of work experience;
Experience in lobbying, advocacy or Capitol Hill experience
a plus
- Bachelors degree in a relevant profession;
Masters degree a plus
- Knowledge of HIV and its impact on communities
throughout the nation
- HIV, viral hepatitis or related health job
experience a plus
- Ability to work with diverse populations
and as a member of a government relations team
- Proficiency in Microsoft applications and
strong computer skills, including Excel; Ability to learn legislative
action center management software (Capwiz) required
- Interest in working with a national HIV/AIDS
public health organization
- Interested in working within a diverse work
environment
- Strong cultural competence
- Willing to travel as needed
- AIDS Action is an equal opportunity employer
and encourages all qualified applicants to apply
Salary Range:
- $35,000-43,000 depending on experience
Closing Date:
- May 8, 2006 (close of business)
Send cover letter, resume, and salary requirements
to:
Donna Crews
Director of Government Affairs
Email: dcrews@aidsaction.org
NO CALLS PLEASE
3. NAPWA To Hold AIDSWatch
2006 from May 8 - 10
The National Association of People With
AIDS (NAPWA) will hold AIDSWatch, its annual DC-based advocacy
event, from Monday, May 8 to Wednesday, May 10. Each year, NAPWA
invites people living with HIV to Washington, DC, where they first
participate in advocacy training sessions and then take their
stories, new skills, and updated materials to Capitol Hill. While
on Capitol Hill, participants meet with Members of Congress and
their staffs to urge them to strengthen essential health care
programs—like the Ryan White CARE Act, Housing Opportunities for
Persons with AIDS, and Medicaid/Medicare—through increases in
funding and improvements in legislation.
This year, AIDSWatch will also assist individuals
unable to travel to Washington, DC with the scheduling of meetings
closer to home, in the district offices of their Members of Congress.
Interested parties may learn more about this
year’s AIDSWatch by linking to http://www.napwa.org/aidswatch.html
and may register for AIDSWatch at http://www.napwa.org/register_online.html.
Individuals who have questions, cannot register
online, or wish to talk their plans over may contact High Noon
Communications, toll-free, at 1-866-243-7282 or by sending an
email to becky@highnooncommunications.com.
The AIDS Action Weekly Update
The Weekly Update is written with
a mind toward the interests of our members. If you are interested
in membership with AIDS Action, we invite you to contact members@aidsaction.org.
AIDS Action works
to end the HIV epidemic by advancing public policies that
prevent new infections, provide care for people living with
HIV, and support the search for a cure. AIDS Action serves
as the national voice for people living with HIV and represents
AIDS service organizations, health departments, and a diverse
network of community-based organizations across the country. |
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