How Obama, McCain Differ On HIV/Aids

CBS Evening News: How The Candidates' Proposals Would Affect Your Community

(CBS)  To help you make an informed decision in the presidential election, CBS News is devoting a large part of our broadcasts until Nov. 4 to telling you where the candidates stand on major issues - from the war in Iraq to health insurance to education … and a lot more. Each piece will be an in-depth look at the issues facing the 44th president. In this installment, CNN's Sanjay Gupta, a CBS News contributor, reports on how the proposed HIV/AIDS policies of Barack Obama and John McCain would affect your community.

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The Issue

It was a sight seldom seen in Washington - bi-partisan praise for President Bush's re-authorization of a plan for global AIDS relief. It's called PEPFAR (President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief), and it's the largest international health initiative ever for a single disease.

"The legacy of this administration will certainly be the work that this president has done regarding the global AIDS epidemic," said Phill Wilson, executive director of the Black AIDS Institute.

But while we as a nation spend almost $10 billion annually to fight AIDS abroad, we spend less than 10 percent of that here at home.

"There's tremendous irony that while we're showing leadership on the global epidemic, we're showing complete neglect on the domestic epidemic," Wilson said.

And, estimates by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reveal African Americans in particular are disproportionately affected. In the year 2006, blacks accounted for 45 percent of new HIV infections - more than 22,000.

The reasons why?

"One of them is shame - people are ashamed to have the infection. The other is stigma - they're punished if someone else finds out they have it," said Dr. Julie Geberding of the CDC, in testimony. "And then the third is ignorance."

It's a pandemic that's spreading right under our nation's nose.

The CDC estimates that one in 20 people living in Washington, D.C., is HIV positive. Astoundingly, in the capital of the world's wealthiest country, the incidence of HIV/AIDS is two-and-a-half times that of Port au Prince, the capital of Haiti, one of the world's poorest countries.

C. Russell, 31, is HIV-positive, having been diagnosed nine years ago after having unprotected sex.

"Eighty percent of the HIV cases in this city - your city - are in blacks," Gupta said.

"They are," Russell said.

"What is going on here?" Gupta said.

"Apathy in our community. Apathy possibly maybe from the government," he said. "People not going and getting tested and getting treatment once they're diagnosed."

Luckily, Russell's been able to keep the virus at bay, without the need for medication. But if he did get sick, care and treatment costs over his lifetime could easily top $275,000.

"If it came to that, I'd want to know that I'd be taken care of. I'd want to know that I'd be able to get health care," he said.

But it's not just men.

The incidence rate for black women like Danielle, who is 42 and HIV-positive, is nearly 15 times that of whites - making AIDS a leading killer of African-American women ages 25 to 34.

Danielle contracted HIV through sexual intercourse 15 years ago, and passed the virus onto one of her five children during pregnancy.

"A lot of people are in the mindset that well, because we have medication we can take, it's OK if I become HIV positive," she said.

But Danielle has no health insurance. So she'll be in trouble should she ever develop AIDS.

"You couldn't get all the medications that you need, you couldn't get the sub-specialty care that you need. What would happen to someone like you?" Gupta said.

"I'd probably get sicker. And possibly even die," she said.

The Candidates

So where do the candidates stand? For starters, they both fully support President Bush's PREFAR program - but that's focused on the epidemic overseas. So, what if you're one of the 1.2 million Americans living with HIV/AIDS?

"We have to have a more effective AIDS policy. Studies have shown we may have undercounted the incidence of AIDS in this country," Barack Obama said.

Obama's plan begins with his promise to sign universal health care legislation by the end of his first term as president.

He wants to prevent HIV through sex education and by promoting HIV testing in minority communities.

But the cornerstone of the Obama plan calls for a national HIV/AIDS strategy involving all federal agencies.

"When we give money to developing countries to fight AIDS, we demand they have a national strategy. And yet we don't have a national AIDS strategy in this country," Wilson said.

"I think we need a domestic plan," Sen. John McCain said.

McCain's prescription to prevent HIV: Emphasize abstinence programs. For those with pre-existing conditions such as AIDS, he wants to establish "guaranteed access plans" for affordable insurance.

His prescription for rising drug costs? Greater competition among drug companies. But the centerpiece of the McCain blueprint? A $2,500 tax credit for individuals to purchase the health care coverage of their choice.

The Impact

"How does that affect you?" Gupta asked Russell.

"It sounds like I'd get a tax credit for money that I would spend on health care, which is okay, but I'd rather have the health care," he said.

"You also have to have to have a health insurance company that accepts you," Gupta said.

"Exactly," Russell said.

For now, Russell may not benefit more from either candidate's plan, because he already has health insurance through his employer. On the other hand, Danielle would have a better chance with either candidate than she does now to find affordable coverage. But there was one thing that Obama said that captured her attention.

"Especially in the African-American and Latino communities, it is skyrocketing," Obama said.

"Just the fact that, I guess Senator Obama speaks specifically to the community of which I belong," she said. "It makes me know that he cares about the African-American community."

Nevertheless, both Danielle and Russell are hopeful that the leadership America has shown overseas will inspire the next president to show leadership on the AIDS epidemic here at home.

[jissa07]

Everyone is too busy judging people rather it be because they have a disease such as AIDS, their skin color, how much money they have, if they have a career and a family. People are so caught up on making themselves look better than the next person that they forget about what is really important. What happened to people caring about others? It''s gone. All anyone cares about anymore is themselves. It doesn''t matter how you got the virus; the fact of the matter is that because of the way medical care is in our country it costs about 48,000 dollars just for daily medications per year. Not to mention the costs of dr appointments, hospitalizations and home care if necessary. People don''t realize that just because there are medications that help keep the virus under control that people are still dying. People wonder why so many people are not getting tested and/or are spreading the virus even though they know they have this sickness; well the reason is fear. People are afraid of the stigma and ignorance that people show those infected with HIV/AIDS. If people would stop judging those who are sick with this illness than those who are infected would be more open to sharing their stories and disclosing their status with partners. This needs to be stopped NOW!

[jissa07]

I think that mostly all of you are wrong and/or just simply ignorant. HIV and AIDS is not about being lazy, how you caught the disease or where you live in the world.. This disease has beem around for over 25 years now and there is no vaccine, no cure, and no preventative techniques that are actually making a difference in our society. What does that say about the people of this country? What does that say about our government?

[nothappyatall]

My insurance I have now is 14,000. 5,000 does not cut it for me.

Posted by francheska1

It''s not supposed to be a handout to pay your entire insurance premiums! it''s an assistance, assistance means you get a portion free and YOU come up with the rest.

[nothappyatall]

McCain''s prescription to prevent HIV: Emphasize abstinence programs."

Proven to be a total FAILURE and is rapidly falling by the wayside. Even Palen''s own home abstinence only education FAILED- her kid is PREGNANT.

[bluecollar81]

Follow the Democratic logic:

1. Liberal (media driven)Democrat sexual beliefs are defended
2. Republicans are consistently ridiculed for thier conservative beliefs regarding sexual content. (Recently, an issue of teaching sexual content in the classroom to elementary children was defended by democrats).
3. Democrats and Hollywood continue to support risky sexual behavior.
4. Democrats now want to distinquish Sexually Transmitted Diseases as a Race issue.

Democrats consistently defend criminal/violent/illegal/immoral behavior. When do Democrats recognize the difference between progressive agendas and irresponsible behavior?

[esissyjet59]

Whio is going to think about our pandemic? Our pandemic is so huge and uncared for. The Ryan White money is only going to certain people, who choose who they want to help, the ADAP is always in a list and paople are dying right and left. Why isn''t there safe *** taught in High Schools? The teens are going to do it anyway. Teach abstininse and get a laugh when they leave the classroom and get together. I have been public speaking for 10 years about life with HIVB and see how thet is the main help is by being honest, and straight to the point. A person can teach safe *** nicely, not crudely, and with class as we Health Educators do. I live in Eastern NC where is is very much a feared, brushed under the rug thing because of lack of prevention money.

[pra1207]

Personal Responsibility is what we need to wipe out the spead of AIDS. We as individuals must protect ourselves from this disease.

When Ronald Reagan was warned about this terrible disease in the early 1980''s, he should have had the courage to announce to the country, THEN! that we had this problem, maybe he could have made a difference.

World wide this situation is completely out of hand and I don''t know if anyone could really make a difference now.

Phil

[FrancheskaS]

My insurance I have now is 14,000. 5,000 does not cut it for me.

[augustman195]

Upto1947,

You''re one ignorant son-of-a, you know the rest. Barack OBAMA gives money to charity which has no color barriers, and if he does give to his people why would that be a problem for you? "W" gave how much to his rich friends? At least Mr. OBAMA gives his money and not the tax payers! It''s morons like you that can''t focus on one subject for longer than your p---- size. HIV/AIDS came from some of the African tribes who unintetionally ate diseased meat, maybe if nuts like you would give to some of the charities that Mr. OBAMA gives, things like that wouldn''t happen. Personally I wouldn''t put it past people like you to intentionally inject the diseae into MY people. GROW UP!

[upto1947]

runningralph which are you? Intelligent discriminating are stupid nondiscriminating.

[upto1947]

I can see why Obama Osama is for giving his race a lot of money. More of them have HIV. Why? Becausae they can''t understand NO. They need to stop going around with people they don''t know. They need to stay off the corner, with there hand out, and there pants down.

[runningralph]

Telling people not to have *** does work for intelligent discriminating people. For stupid nondiscriminating people it doesn''t work. This is survival of the fittest at work. Evolution marching on. Liberalism tries to undermine the laws of nature.

[incog-nito]

My employer plans to increase employee health care premiums by 13%, and my wife''s employer by 25%! And McCain wants to give tax credits to people to buy individual policies? Is this guy crazy? As bad as employer group plans are (and they''re bad), individual plans are much, much more expensive. Why throw more taxpayer money at something that''s already expensive in the first place? That''s insane. Also, insurers can raise individual policy premiums at any time, unlike group plans where they can do so once a year (which is bad enough already). They can also terminate your policy at any time. Or deny you any coverage at all for a pre-existing condition.

This, and this reason alone, is enough not to vote McCain into office.

[aggiekat2004]

"Reporter: "Should U.S. taxpayer money go to places like Africa to fund contraception to prevent AIDS?"


Mr. McCain:

"Well I think it''s a combination. The guy I really respect on this is Dr. Coburn. He believes -- and I was just reading the thing he wrote -- that you should do what you can to encourage abstinence where there is going to be sexual activity. Where that doesn''t succeed, then he thinks that we should employ contraceptives as well. But I agree with him that the first priority is on abstinence. I look to people like Dr. Coburn. I''m not very wise on it."

(Mr. McCain turns to take a question on Iraq, but a moment later looks back to the reporter who asked him about AIDS.)

Mr. McCain: "I haven''t thought about it. Before I give you an answer, let me think about. Let me think about it a little bit because I never got a question about it before. I don''t know if I would use taxpayers'' money for it [contraception]."

Q: "What about grants for *** education in the United States? Should they include instructions about using contraceptives? Or should it be Bush''s policy, which is just abstinence?"

Mr. McCain: (Long pause) "Ahhh. I think I support the president''s policy."

Q: "So no contraception, no counseling on contraception. Just abstinence. Do you think contraceptives help stop the spread of HIV?"

Mr. McCain: (Long pause) "You''ve stumped me."

[aggiekat2004]

McCain supports the "global gag rule," and follows George W. Bush in wanted to press "abstinence-only" policies to try and curb the spread of HIV...like these people are going to stop having se_x and we''re going to press our puritanical non-s_ex agenda on them!

From the Planned Parenthood website...

In 2005, McCain voted NO on legislation to overturn the "global gag rule," which bars non-U.S. nongovernmental organizations from receiving U.S. family planning assistance if the organization (using its own, non-U.S. funds) provides abortion services or information or advocates for pro-choice laws and policies in its own country.

[francis525]

Besides the fact that taxes on our earnings is unconstitutional, I am completely against spending tax dollars to combat HIV/AIDS when it comes to people who don''t know how and when to have *** or take illegal drugs. Only for the innocent (through blood transfusion or by being born of an HIV/AIDS mother) should our tax dollars be spent. The rest can pay for their own medicine or pay the ultimate price.

[aggiekat2004]

I was laid off from my job, and the COBRA coverage alone was going to cost me $4200 a year for a single person.

A $2500 tax credit is NOT going to help me pay for my own health insurance on a monthly basis because it''s just plain unaffordable. Maybe rich people care about tax credits, but a lot of people don''t even file taxes...how are they covered? They''re not. They''ll just go to emergency rooms just like they do now.

[seah5]

He wants to prevent HIV through *** education and by promoting HIV testing in minority communities.

Excuse me, But Mr Obama always discriminates.

It seems Minorities are his only concern in America.

Their are poor White people who live in poor communities. He makes a point to exclude them.

Poverty and Disease does not know Age, Race, Religion, or Geography.

Can Someone Please explain that to him.

Aids is spreading like wild fire in America, from the poor to the rich, to the east to the west, In the big Cities and the small towns and rural areas.

[seah5]

He wants to prevent HIV through *** education and by promoting HIV testing in minority communities.

Excuse me, But Mr Obama always discriminates.

It seems Minorities are his only concern in America.

Their are poor White people who live in poor communities. He makes a point to exclude them.

Poverty and Disease does not know Age, Race, Religion, or Geography.

Can Someone Please explain that to him.

Aids is spreading like wild fire in America, from the poor to the rich, to the east to the west, In the big Cities and the small towns and rural areas.

[flicker43]

Rather than a news report about throwing even more money at a social disease, that is caused by irresponcible behavior, I would rather have seen a report about how much money has been deverted from cancer, Alzimers, and other deadly disease research over the last 20 years to the detriment of the majority of our population. I shudder to think about all the people that have died horrible deaths because of all the money that has been sucked up by AIDS research.