Under the proposed public charge rules, one of the groups who may be prevented from receiving a green card is individuals with HIV/AIDS.   This could potentially worsen the HIV/AIDS epidemic by forcing people living with the condition to forego treatment. The two largest federal funding sources for healthcare for people living with HIV/AIDS are Medicare and Medicaid, both of which will receive scrutiny under the proposed rule change. Immigrants may forego medications due to fears that their green card application may be denied.

The Medicare and Medicaid programs help many older adults, people with disabilities, children, and people with chronic illnesses thrive. People working toward a future in the United States shouldn’t be afraid to use these vital services.