December 19, 2008
AIDS Alliance Response to GAO Report on Administrative Expenditures, Indirect Costs, and Services under Ryan White Part D
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Washington, D.C. – AIDS Alliance for Children, Youth and Families Board President Alelia Munroe issued the following statement today upon release of the GAO report:
“Part D providers spend most of their funding on comprehensive, family-centered support services for HIV-positive women, infants, children and youth. The GAO report confirms that very little is spent on administrative costs, and when it is they are legitimate and appropriate expenses. Clearly, the need is for services for vulnerable populations and that will continue to be our mission.”
“We remain concerned with the 10% administrative cap because, as the GAO report pointed out, a majority of grantees reported the cap had a negative effect on their programs and has made it necessary for clinical staff to perform administrative tasks. Clinical time will be eroded as clinicians spend more time on additional administrative duties such as new allocation and expenditure reporting requirements. Many Part D grantees subcontract services, magnifying the impact of additional reporting requirements on the grantee of record and making the cap more onerous. We support a system that is transparent and focuses on the provision of family-centered support services, and keeps administrative costs to a minimum. We also support reporting standards that are less burdensome, consistent, communicated with clear guidance and recognize the unique nature of Part D programs.”
The Ryan White HIV/AIDS Treatment and Modernization Act of 2006, Public Law 108-415, Section 402, required the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to conduct an evaluation and submit to Congress a report on administrative expenditures, indirect costs, and services under Part D.
The report describes (1) the services Part D grantees provide and what impact the administrative expense cap has had on those services; (2) how Part D grantees define, calculate, and report on administrative and indirect expenses; and (3) how HRSA has implemented the Part D administrative expense cap and grantees’ views on that implementation.
AIDS Alliance members provided information to the GAO in preparing the report and participated in focus groups convened by the GAO to provide qualitative data. AIDS Alliance encouraged members to participate and hosted a focus group with its members for the GAO during its annual conference in 2008.
You may view the report here: http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-09-140
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Founded in 1994, AACYF is a national non-profit organization whose mission is to advance the partnership between consumers and providers – we are the voice of women, children, youth and families living with and affected by HIV/AIDS. AACYF works to enhance and expand access to quality, comprehensive, family-centered care to America's children, youth and families affected by HIV/AIDS, as it represents the nation's network of over 650 Ryan White Part D funded community-based organizations. Part D programs serve over 53,000 HIV-affected women, children, youth and families through sites located in 35 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
