December 13, 1997
evival of electronic QO's
nd 9D's dance music
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Air Force issues supportive poiiQ;
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by Kim I. Mills
Special to Q-Notes
WASHINGTON, DC—In one of her last
acts before retiring as secretary of the Air Force,
Sheila Widnall issued an anti-discrimination
policy stating for the first time in writing that
the Air Force would not discriminate against
civilian employees based on their sexual orien
tation. Widnall issued a memorandum reiter
ating the Air Force’s equal opportunity poli-
Pride
Continued from page 1
the GLPM events, Reynolds said. “It’s a very
different viewpoint when you come here on a
mission.” That mission conflicts with the
“wholesome, family environment” of Broadway
at the Beach, she asserted.
Burroughs & Chapin also owns the Myrde
Beach Pavilion amusement park and several
other Grand Strand attractions.
The developer’s staunch opposition could
force a showdown, festival leaders said. “If they
don’t change their thinking, then the dollars
may change it,” stated Snell.
Gay organizations might sponsor a boycott
during the festival and try to dissuade big com
panies from doing business with Burroughs &
Chapin, he said. To indicate the potential eco
nomic damage, Snell cited a list of companies
with policies that prohibit discrimination
ADAP
Continued from page 1
and 3) the treatment is so effective that clients
are not getting sick enough to qualify for Med
icaid — and move off of ADAP — in the same
numbers as they did previously.
In August, 530 people (of the nearly 2000
who are eligible) purchased their medications
through ADAP. That number jumped to 686
in September. Because triple combination
therapy costs about $1000 per patient per
month — an increase of more than $150,000
can been placed on the program every four
weeks at the current rate.
North Carolina’s comparatively lenient
ADAP eligibility qualifications are another fac
tor in the crisis. In some states, users must have
been HIV-positive for a set period of time, have
AIDS, be below a specified CD4 count or above
a certain viral load to qualify. Here, anyone who
is HIV-positive with an income of less than 125
percent of the federal poverty limit is eligible
for ADAP. The state will likely become more
stringent in this area in the future
Also, North Carolina forsakes the volume
discounts it could receive from pharmaceutical
companies by limiting the number of ADAP
drug oudets and stocking them with bulk pur
chases. At the moment, clients can use their
program cards at any pharmacy in the state.
Although this is a great luxury, the need for
cost-cutting may force a change in policy.
Both of these situations need to — and are
— being examined, but the immediate prior
ity is finding the money to keep ADAP going
until the next cycle of grants arrives.
Reimer presented the governor with a three-
part contingency plan for salvaging ADAP:
“One. Please use state contingency funds im-
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cies, which she called “straightforward” — “zero
tolerance for any kind of unlawful discrimina
tion against military members or civilian em
ployees based on color, national origin, race,
religion or sex, and in the case of civilian em
ployees, also age, sexual orientation or disabling
conditions.”
The Navy has also established in wridng that
it will not discriminate against civilian employ
ees based on sexual orientation. T
against gays. At least five are major Burroughs
& Chapin tenants. In addition, the increased
publicity may generate more interest and bring
more people to the march. A boycott decision
will be made at a Dec. GLPM board meeting.
At least one company is standing fast. The
House of Blues, which has no connection with
Burroughs & Chapin, plans to host a VIP So
cial and concert. House of Blues spokeswoman
Kathy Bishop said the restaurant’s support
squares with its image of “unity in diversity.”
March organizer Linda Robertson said the
march and festival will still take place in Myrde
Beach. She said the hotel. The Patricia Grand,
which had committed to accommodating visi
tors in the beachfront hotel, had not backed
out. “We will still have this march here,” she
said. “And don’t be surprised if our numbers
are tripled after all this. ...If for no other rea
son, this is the very thing that proves why we
need this march here.” ▼
mediately to provide ADXP with enough
money to continue to serve those who are qudi-
fied for the program now, and who may be
come qualified in the future. The current best
estimate of what will be needed to continue to
provide medication to those who are using
ADAP is $ 1.4 million for the remainder of the
federal fiscal year which ends March 31,1998.
An additional $1.2 million would be needed
to keep the program open to new enrollees.
“Two. If a special session of the General As
sembly is called, please consider also making a
special request for an appropriation to fully fund
ADAP during this Hsc^ year.
“Three. In the budget planning for the 1998
and future sessions of the General Assembly,
please include enough money in your proposal
to the legislature to make ADAP solvent in the
future. Please also propose a budget that will
increase significantly our state’s HlV preven
tion programs which, by interrupting the spread
of HIV, can not only improve the health of
North Carolinians, but reduce expenditures for
programs like ADAP and other health care ser
vices.”
Although the legislature is being asked to
provide a substantial amount of money to bail
out ADAP, the savings will far outweigh the
costs in the end. “Every dollar spent on ADAP
equals $8 saved on Medicaid,” Jones explained.
“You won’t get an 8 to 1 return on an invest
ment anywhere else these days. The state can’t
afford to not do this.”
A letter writing campaign has been initiated
to ensure that ADAP is protected. To partici
pate, write: Governor James B. Hunt, Jr., Of
fice of the Governor, Raleigh, NC 27603-8001;
and H. David Bruton, Secretary, Department
of Health and Human Services, PO Box 2960,
Raleigh, NC 27262-0601. T
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