The Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program (RWHAP) is the largest federal program designed specifically for people with HIV. In fiscal year (FY) 2025, Congress appropriated nearly $2.6 billion for the program as a whole, which is made up of various parts. State and local governments receive most RWHAP funding through Part A and Part B, which together distributed more than $1.8 billion for FY 2025. Most of this funding is allocated by formula, largely based on the relative number of living HIV/AIDS cases in a state or metropolitan area.
The Part A and Part B formulas have traditionally relied on living cases data that are based on an individual’s residence at the time of diagnosis. The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)—which administers RWHAP—is now proposing to shift to a new dataset that is instead based on the most recent addresses of people with HIV. To minimize disruption on care and treatment resulting from the change, HRSA is proposing to phase in the new methodology over a five-year period.
In its notice seeking comment on the proposal, HRSA provided estimated Part A and Part B formula awards over the course of the phase-in period, which would cover FYs 2026-2030. These are the only parts of RWHAP that would be affected by the proposal. Combined state and local funding changes would range from -15% in Puerto Rico to +35% in Maine at the end of the period. Comments must be submitted by December 10.