Blog 4/9/26

Equitas Health Joins Hundreds of HIV Activists on Capitol Hill – Federal Funding and Protecting Medicaid & Medicare Top Priorities

WASHINGTON, DC – Equitas Health recently attended the 2026 AIDSWatch Conference in Washington, D.C, hosted by AIDS United. Now in its 33^rd year, AIDSWatch is the largest constituent-driven HIV federal advocacy event in the nation. As a passion-driven and people-powered event, AIDS Watch is focused on building collective power to advocate for policies that increase the quality of life for people living with and affected by HIV.

The event followed recent changes to Medicaid work requirements and cuts to Medicaid funding for gender affirming care (GAC) for minors. We have also seen the removal of ADAP coverage for some commonly prescribed HIV treatment drugs in a few states. These changes will make it harder for millions of Americans to afford life-saving healthcare, including GAC, PrEP, PEP, and HIV treatment.

Pictured: AIDSWatch Ohio delegation, led by Equitas Health, meeting with congressional leaders across Capitol Hill. Photo Credit: Equitas Health

In a statement about the importance of AIDS Watch, Carl Baloney, Jr., President & CEO of AIDS United said, “AIDSWatch 2026 was a powerful demonstration of collective advocacy at a pivotal moment for the HIV movement. Our advocates came to Washington not just to observe, but to demand that their voices be heard. They made it unequivocally clear that progress in the fight against HIV does not happen by accident; it requires sustained political will and unwavering commitment to justice.”

On the eve of AIDS Watch, AIDS United hosted a reception in the Rayburn House Office Building, with multiple members of Congress in attendance. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi received the AIDSWatch Lifetime Achievement Award for her work in the fight to end the HIV epidemic.

This year, nearly 600 advocates from 42 states and territories collectively held nearly 250 meetings with congressional offices on Capitol Hill. The legislative asks from these advocates included protecting healthcare access, mitigating the impact of federal funding cuts and attacks on vulnerable communities, and supporting HIV prevention efforts and increased PrEP access across the country. Advocates also called for elected officials to protect Medicaid, which is the largest public health insurance program in the country and the single largest source of coverage for people living with HIV.

Pictured: A group of Ohio HIV activists on Capitol Hill on Wednesday, April 2, 2025. Photo Credit: AIDS United

Along with other HIV service providers and non-profit organizations, Equitas Health advocated for life-saving funding for HIV treatment, resource, and prevention programs throughout the recent government shutdown. The organization has also remained vocal about the importance of these programs for communities of color.

While on the Hill, Equitas Health interacted with over 15 congressional offices across the Ohio and Texas delegations. In doing so, advocates discussed a number of key policy issues, including:

• Funding HIV treatment and prevention programs, which faced a $700+ million cut last year;
• Protecting Medicaid, which covers roughly 40% of people living with HIV;
• Stabilizing the AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP), which provides life-saving medications to lower income people living with HIV;
• Investing in HIV prevention funding, which is crucial to ending the HIV epidemic; and

Regarding the importance of federal funding and the fight against HIV/AIDS, Rhea Debussy, PhD, (she/her) Director of External Affairs at Equitas Health said, “If Secretary Kennedy and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services want to ‘make America healthy again,’ then we must fund Medicaid, Medicare, HIV prevention programs at the CDC, HIV treatment programs at HRSA, and infectious disease research at NIH. Fighting chronic illness requires funding America’s healthcare safety net.”

Equitas Health is committed to increasing access to care for the communities we serve through public policy work in the U.S. Congress. The agency will continue to fight for federal funding that supports community health centers, Medicaid, and HIV-focused programs. We also encourage the people we serve and community partners to let their members of Congress know how they feel about these important issues.

If you’d like to get involved in the fight to fund HIV prevention and treatment, we invite you to register for AIDS Walk Ohio. AIDS Walk Ohio is a yearly 5K run, 5K walk, and 1-mile stroll that takes place in Columbus, Ohio. Over the past eight years, AIDS Walk Ohio has raised over $2 million for organizations across Ohio, including Equitas Health.

The first step is to gather your team. You can register as an individual or recruit your friends and co-workers to join the walk with you. Once you’ve come up with a personal goal and a team name, you’re ready to register.

To register for AIDS Walk Ohio:

• Visit aidswalkohio.com
• Click on the REGISTER button

You’ll then select which registration option is right for you: individual, join a team, or create your own. You’ll be able to set a goal and share your fundraising page to encourage donations. You can also share a personal story of why you’ve chosen to participate in AIDS Walk Ohio.