STD Policy on the Federal Level: What's Happening and What Does the Future Hold?

Background:  STD programs across the country are greatly affected by funding and policy changes at the federal level.  The federal political landscape has been fraught with gridlock and partisanship from all sides recently.  A number of budget deals have been struck recently however, not to mention the implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), that impact not only the funding for STD programs but also their role in the community as public health entities.

Methods:  This presentation will use the presenter’s first-hand experience as an advocate on behalf of STD programs and funding as well as a former Congressional staffer in the office of a senior member of the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee to discuss the impacts of these budget deals and the implementation of the ACA has on the funding of STD programs and the political and budget processes behind these deals.

Results:  Funding reductions through sequestration have greatly reduced all federal discretionary health spending, through which STD and HIV programs are funded.  In addition, the expansion of general health care insurance coverage as well as preventative care coverage through the ACA has led to questions of duplication of federal health care dollars going to public health services such as STD and HIV prevention and treatment.

Conclusions:  Congress appears to be a stagnate body with few legislative accomplishments, but the implementation of sequestration, addition to other budget deals and the impacts of ACA implementation have serious funding implications for STD policy across the country.