FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
WASHINGTON, D.C – Thursday, September 18, 2025 — Marking National HIV/AIDS and Aging Awareness Day (NHAAD), the Save HIV Funding campaign and partners are sounding the alarm that proposed federal cuts would devastate HIV prevention and care — a significant problem for Americans age 50+ living with HIV, who make up more than half of people living with HIV in the United States. This year’s NHAAD theme, “Protect Our Aging Populations: Meeting New Challenges to Live Longer and Improve Lives!”, underscores the urgent need to protect the system of care Americans aging with HIV rely on.
The Save HIV Funding Campaign warns that the House FY26 Labor–HHS bill would erase almost $2 billion in critical federal HIV funding by eliminating CDC’s domestic HIV prevention funding — including the Trump Administration’s own Ending the HIV Epidemic initiative — and slash $525 million for care, jeopardizing the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program that helps hundreds of thousands of people — disproportionately low-income, long-term and life time survivors, and those in the U.S. South —stay healthy and virally suppressed.
If enacted, the bill would gut America’s HIV response overnight — destabilizing clinics, shuttering community programs, and threatening the health and well-being of the millions of Americans directly impacted by HIV nationwide, particularly in the South and in rural America. As the HIV community continues to grow older, these services become more urgent for the quality of life as people age.
WHY THIS MATTERS
- Older adults are the majority of people with diagnosed HIV and face higher rates of late diagnosis, multimorbidity, and social isolation.
- Prevention dollars fund state and local health departments and community organizations that reach older Americans with testing, PrEP, and stigma-free services. CDC data from 2022 reported that Americans aged 50 and older accounted for approximately 16% of new HIV diagnoses among those aged ≥ 13.
- Ryan White clinics keep people in care and virally suppressed, which protects health and prevents transmission — savings that far outweigh the cost of care.
HIV FUNDING FAST FACTS:
State-by-State Resources & Fact Sheets HERE: savehivfunding.org/state-resources
- Federal HIV programs have more than 35 years of bipartisan support: In 2003, President George W. Bush created PEPFAR (the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief), which has saved 25 million lives worldwide. Domestically, Bush signed reauthorizations of the Ryan White CARE Act, expanding federal support for HIV care. Protecting HIV funding has historically been a bipartisan commitment to public health and stability.
- Federal HIV programs are cost-effective: Every $1 invested in HIV prevention saves the health care system $3 to $7 in future treatment costs. Cuts would increase long-term spending.
- Medicaid is the largest source of coverage for people with HIV in the U.S., covering roughly 40% of people living with HIV. Medicaid expansion has been associated with a 33% increase in PrEP prescriptions. Cuts to HIV funding would have ripple effects across the entire Medicaid system, limiting access to care for millions of low-income Americans.
- HIV care is part of the U.S. health care system: Federal HIV funding supports access to preventive care, primary care, mental health services, housing, and medications. Cutting these funds would destabilize programs millions of Americans depend on — including those living with chronic conditions, low-income families, and uninsured people.
- Over 1.2 million Americans are living with HIV, and over 500,000 rely on federal programs like the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program for lifesaving medication and care.
- HIV prevention funding protects everyone: The federal government funds access to PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis), a daily medication that reduces the vulnerability of HIV by 99%. Rolling back funding would increase new HIV cases and long-term costs to the health care system.
- HIV funding is about more than one disease: These programs create a blueprint for coordinated, federally funded responses to health crises — from the opioid epidemic to COVID-19. Gutting HIV funding would weaken America’s preparedness for future public health threats.
- HIV funding protects vulnerable communities: Black and Latine communities account for more than 65% of new HIV diagnoses. Protecting these funds is about protecting racial and health equity.
Press Contacts:
Morrison Media Group:
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About the Save HIV Funding Campaign:
Launched in 2023 by PrEP4All, AVAC, and the HIV Medicine Association in partnership with the Federal AIDS Policy Partnership, the Save HIV Funding campaign is supported by over 150 national and local organizations. The campaign began in response to proposed Congressional cuts to federal HIV programs and successfully helped avert $1.5 billion in domestic HIV funding cuts.
In early 2025, the campaign expanded in response to the Trump Administration’s escalating efforts to dismantle essential HIV services and infrastructure. Today, Save HIV Funding continues to mobilize advocates, patients, healthcare providers, and public figures to ensure access to lifesaving care for everyone impacted by HIV.
About SAGE:
At SAGE, we envision a world where LGBTQ+ elders are valued, have limitless opportunities, and thrive. Since 1978, we have led the way in advocating for policies, services, and resources that empower LGBTQ+ elders to live openly and authentically. Our dedicated team members work nationally and globally to protect our rights, build health and longevity, and preserve the vibrancy of our community as we age. Each one of us has a place to create a bright and vibrant future for the LGBTQ+ community as each one of us lights the way for the next generation to follow. Learn more at sageusa.org.
