佛罗里达州卫生部的一项紧急规则于周日生效，该规则可能会限制数万人获得艾滋病毒药物。
该州削减了艾滋病药物援助计划(ADAP)，这是一个联邦-州合作项目，为低收入、无保险或保险不足的人提供免费的FDA批准的HIV药物。
根据紧急规则，ADAP的资格被降低到包括那些处于或低于联邦贫困线130%的人，这相当于一个人家庭每年大约20，345美元，根据卫生与公众服务部
根据HHS的数据，以前的资格标准是贫困线的400%或以下，相当于一个人家庭每年62，600美元。
此外，紧急状态规则限制了Biktarvy的保险范围，Biktarvy是一种每天一次的治疗艾滋病毒的药丸，在ADAP注册的人中约有60%使用这种药物。
艾滋病倡导者估计，在ADAP登记的30，000名佛罗里达人中，多达16，000人可能面临限制进入的风险。
“这些削减将影响整个州的社区，将威胁到艾滋病毒感染者的生命，并将导致新的艾滋病毒诊断激增和医疗费用上升，因为艾滋病毒感染者出现严重感染需要住院治疗，”艾滋病毒医学协会(HIV Medicine Association)主席安娜·k·Person博士在一份声明中说。该协会是一个医疗保健专业人士社区，致力于推动艾滋病毒疫情的应对。
“如此严重的艾滋病治疗中断将导致公共卫生灾难。佛罗里达州必须遵循正当程序，与医疗保健专业人员、艾滋病毒感染者和州议会合作，解决任何资金挑战，”声明继续说。
新的紧急状态规则仅在90天内有效，并且不能更新，除非通过正式的行政规则制定提出一项规则来实施这些变化。
卫生官员引用了“全国范围内医疗保险费的上涨”和联邦资金的缺乏是削减的原因。官员们表示，这些调整将防止该州出现超过1.2亿美元的资金缺口。
Florida Department of Health cuts to HIV, AIDS program enacted as thousands risk losing access
An emergency rule from the Florida Department of Health went into effect on Sunday that could restrict tens of thousands of people from accessing HIV medication.
The state issued cuts to the AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP), a federal-state partnership that provides free FDA-approved HIV medication for low-income, uninsured or underinsured people.
Under the emergency rule, eligibility for ADAP was lowered to include those at or below 130% of the federal poverty level, which equals about $20,345 per year for a one-person household, according to theDepartment of Health and Human Services
Previous eligibility was at or below 400% of the poverty level, which equals about $62,600 per year for a one-person household, according to HHS.
Additionally, the emergency rule limits insurance coverage of Biktarvy, a once-daily pill to treat HIV and used by about 60% of those enrolled in ADAP.
HIV advocates estimate that as many as 16,000 of the 30,000 Floridians enrolled in ADAP could be at risk of restricted access.
"These cuts will impact communities throughout the state, will threaten the lives of people with HIV and will lead to spikes in new HIV diagnoses and a rise in health care costs as people with HIV develop serious infections requiring hospitalization," said Dr. Anna K. Person, chair of the HIV Medicine Association, a community of health care professionals that works toward advancing the response of the HIV epidemic, in a statement.
"HIV treatment disruptions of this magnitude will result in a public health disaster. Florida must follow due process and work with health care professionals, people with HIV and the state legislature to address any funding challenges," the statement continued.
The new emergency rule is only in effect for 90 days and cannot be renewed unless a rule is proposed to implement the changes through formal administrative rulemaking.
Health officialshave citedthe "rising health care insurance premiums nationwide" and lack of federal funding as reason for the cuts. Officials said the adjustments will prevent a shortfall of more than $120 million for the state.
The Florida Department of Health did not immediately return ABC News' request for comment.
