By Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.)

I got tested.  President Obama and the First Lady got tested.  Did you?

National HIV Testing Day was June 27th, and I wanted to lead by example to encourage others to get tested.

Testing is easy and painless – it can be done by a simple swab inside your cheek, without a needle or blood – and you can get your results back in half an hour.

I encourage all Americans to get tested for HIV and educate themselves about the prevention and treatment of HIV and AIDS. 

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) more than one million Americans are living with HIV/AIDS — and more than one out of five people living with HIV do not know they are infected. 

HIV/AIDS affects men and women of all races and ethnicities. 

However, Blacks and other minorities however are disproportionately impacted by the epidemic.  Combined, minorities represent 67% of new HIV infections, 71% of new AIDS cases and 67% of people living with HIV/AIDS.

One out of two Blacks living with HIV is unaware of being infected.  This means the disease is not detected until it has advanced.

That is why getting tested and learning your HIV status is extremely important.  Those who test positive can begin to get lifesaving medicine and prevent spreading the virus to loved ones.  Those who test negative can continue to take steps to protect themselves from infection.  In any case, knowledge is power and knowing your HIV status allows you to make informed decisions.

We need to increase the availability of HIV tests and encourage individuals to get tested so we can reduce the spread of HIV and AIDS. 

To encourage and enable more Americans to be tested for HIV, I have introduced the Routine HIV Screening Coverage Act (H.R. 2137).  This bill would require health insurance plans to cover routine HIV tests under the same terms and conditions as other routine health screenings.

As chair of the Congressional Black Caucus in 1998, I spearheaded the establishment of the Minority AIDS Initiative, and I have continued efforts to expand it.  I sent a letter signed by a total of 53 Members of Congress, many of them my colleagues in the Congressional Black Caucus, to House leaders who make key funding decisions requesting that the Minority AIDS Initiative receive $610 million in fiscal year 2010.  This would be a considerable increase from the funding level of about $400 million per year during most of the Bush Administration.

The community-based organizations and health care providers who receive grants through the Minority AIDS Initiative have been effective in delivering HIV/AIDS treatment and prevention programs to minority communities in culturally and linguistically appropriate ways.  That is why we are seeing some encouraging signs. 

For example, the Kaiser Family Foundation reports that more Black Americans (68%) and Latinos (57%) than Whites (42%) have taken an HIV test. 

However, we still have a lot of work to do with regards to HIV/AIDS prevention, awareness and testing.
Many clinics, health care centers and community organizations provide testing, and in some cases the test is even free. 
To find a testing site near you, call 1-800-CDC-INFO ( 1-800-232-4636 ) or visit http://hivtest.org
“Take the test, take control.”
        Have you been tested for HIV?  What additional steps can we take to reduce the stigma of HIV/AIDS in our community?