Coloradans gathered at Park Hill United Methodist Church in Denver on Sunday to mark World AIDS Day - joining people around the globe to show support for people living with HIV, and to remember those who lost their lives to the global epidemic.

Anthony Petro, associate professor at Boston University, said thanks to ground-breaking medical research, an HIV diagnosis doesn't have to be a death sentence.

"We do have a very good infrastructure for HIV-AIDS care," said Petro. "The medical treatments for people with HIV are very powerful and effective now."

The Centers For Disease Control and Prevention first reported on the deaths of otherwise healthy men from rare forms of illnesses associated with compromised immune systems in 1981.

Because these deaths were among men who slept with other men, some news outlets described the cause as "gay cancer" or "gay pneumonia."

When Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, or AIDS, was officially named in 1982, the move was seen as a victory for gay rights groups fighting back against stigma.

A new UNAIDS report says the world can end the public health threat by 2030 if leaders protect human rights.

Of the nearly 40 million people living with HIV, more than nine million can't access life-saving treatment.

Petro pointed to a new medicine - known as Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis - developed for people most at risk, as an important tool.

"We also have PrEP as a preventive tool," said Petro, "that people who are HIV negative can take that has shown to be incredibly successful at stopping the spread of HIV."

The LGBTQ+ community is once again in the cross-hairs of the nation's culture wars, most recently seen in President-elect Donald Trump's attacks on trans people.

Petro noted that in the absence of state support during the epidemic's early years, it was local activists who took up the slack.

"Local AIDS activists all over the country were really doing the work of educating people and caring for folks," said Petro. "And that's going to be more important than ever as we move into these next four years."




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A coalition of Montana groups will rally at the Capitol Wednesday to advocate for the protection of Medicaid expansion, which legislators will debate this session before the program's scheduled expiration in June.

The state's 10-year-old Medicaid expansion program covers 75,000 low-income Montanans at an annual cost of about $1 billion, according to KFF Health News. The state picks up about 10% of the tab.

Kristen Stewart, Billings organizer for the advocacy group Big Sky 55+ and a caregiver who is enrolled in Medicaid herself, noted many Medicaid enrollees work but the work is often undervalued.

"Medicaid supports a lot of people who are doing unpaid work," Stewart pointed out. "Things that were we to monetize, you would see an economic boost from their production level, often more than the cost of their care."

The Gianforte administration already tightened eligibility for the program, cutting the number of enrollees by nearly 40% between May 2023 and October 2024. The program currently covers nondisabled adults ages 19 to 64 who make less than $21,000 a year.

Jeannie Brown, a bus driver for the Belgrade Public School District and a full-time caregiver and legal guardian for her teenage granddaughter, said if Medicaid expansion does not get reauthorized, she will be on a "slippery slope."

"Because I'm 60 years old and I'm having my own health issues after being a caregiver, it's hard work and it takes a toll on you physically, financially and emotionally," Brown explained. "I'm hoping these legislators really take all of these things into consideration and reauthorize it."

Any laws passed on the issue could also affect the state's behavioral health services, which Gov. Greg Gianforte has made a priority.

Obtaining medical records can be a costly endeavor but there is hope Washington state lawmakers could find a fix this session.

Medical providers look for compensation when producing medical records because of the work involved in the process.

Holly Brauchli, an attorney at Seattle Injury Law, said an outdated process is used to determine the cost. Federal law requires all records to be digitized and Brauchli pointed out providers charge per page as if the records were on paper.

"We download it and we get a bill for thousands of dollars and the justification of that bill is that there's a per page charge," Brauchli explained. "I get these invoices that say copying charge per page. There are no copies."

Brauchli noted there are a variety of reasons why someone would want to obtain their medical records. For instance, the records could be important to an injury lawsuit or someone might want to check if their health insurance was billing them correctly.

Brauchli argued records should no longer be charged as if they are on paper.

"This seems like a really easy fix and certainly one that would help Washington citizens," Brauchli contended. "People have a right to know what's in their medical record and they have a right to be able to see it. So, to me, it's a really simple and elegant fix."

A bill has not been filed yet but is expected from Sen. Tina Orwall, D-Des Moines, soon. The 2025 legislative session starts today.

This Wednesday is the deadline to enroll in Affordable Care Act marketplace health coverage.

Advocates say this year is even more critical for those seeking a plan, because the expanded tax credits that allowed many Kentuckians to enroll in health coverage - at little or no monthly cost - are set to expire at the end of this year.

After Jan. 15, folks will have to qualify for a special enrollment period to take advantage of Advanced Premium Tax Credits while they still exist.

Priscilla Easterling, director of outreach and enrollment with Kentucky Voices for Health, said the state's uninsured rate could potentially increase if families can't afford coverage without the credits.

"I think we should all be very concerned," said Easterling. "Without these enhanced premium tax credits being extended, we're going to see enrollment drop off, because families will no longer be able to afford that monthly premium."

According to research from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the elimination of expanded tax credits would especially impact older adults - who tend to have higher health coverage costs.

In 2024, people over age 50 made up more than one-third of total ACA enrollment.

Easterling said in many cases, for low-income individuals making around $22,000 per year, the credits covered the full cost of their plan, and have saved Kentuckians thousands of dollars a year.

"They have been around for the duration of the ACA," said Easterling, "but the enhanced part that was first expanded in 2021. They have, on average, saved most households over $500 per month."

Easterling said residents can find local experts at kynect.gov to help them take advantage of tax credits and find the best plan for them.

"There are 'kynectors' available in all 120 counties," said Easterling, "who can help and provide free assistance for anyone who needs help navigating Kynect.gov or trying to get enrolled in coverage."

During 2024, more than 71,000 Kentucky residents enrolled in a plan through the marketplace, according to the health advocacy group KFF.

Nationwide, a record 24 million people have signed up for insurance coverage through the Affordable Care Act, according to federal data.