In This Issue

We continue our series on the participants in the African American HIV University's Science and Treatment College. Tamara Holmes reports on Ohio governor John Kasich's decision to circumvent his state's legislature, which opposed Medicaid expansion, and to expand Medicaid after all.

Actors Gabrielle Union, Aisha Tyler and Scarlett Johansson have teamed up with Planned Parenthood to help Americans learn about the new health insurance options available under the Affordable Care Act. Friday is the deadline by which Pennsylvania residents must apply to join their state's HIV Planning Group. We encourage all of our readers to reach out to the planning groups in their states and actively take a leadership role in ending the epidemic in their area.

Our friends at Kaiser Health News report on a disturbing trend of organizations trying to cash in on the rollout of the Affordable Care Act by pretending that they are credentialed navigators when, in fact, they are not.

Finally, as World AIDS Day draws near, I'd like to draw your attention to several important events.

This Thursday, November 21, from 10:30 a.m. until noon Eastern Time, I invite you to join the digital watch party for Talk is Cheap: Saving Lives, Ending AIDS, and Putting Our Money Where Our Mouth Is a town hall meeting convening 8 experts from around the world for an honest discussion on the movement to end AIDS. I've been invited to participate, along with:

• John Demsey, Chairman of the MAC AIDS Fund Board, Group President, The Estée Lauder Companies Inc.

• Wafaa El-Sadr, Director of ICAP, University Professor of Epidemiology, Columbia University

• Anthony Fauci, Director of National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Health

• Stephen Lewis, Co-founder and Co-director, AIDS-Free World

• Nancy Mahon, Senior Vice President, MAC AIDS Fund

• Jeffrey Sachs, Director of the Earth Institute, Columbia University

• Peter Staley, Activist and Founder Emeritus, Treatment Action Group and AIDSmeds.com

Next Monday, November 26, I will appear on TavisTalks to discuss the state of AIDS today, including World AIDS Day, the Affordable Care Act, HIV treatment and the latest developments in HIV/AIDS with Tavis Smiley. Consult your local television listing for the time and PBS station in your area.

On Saturday, November 30th, at 8:30 Eastern, I will appear on The Heat on CCTV America to discuss the global AIDS epidemic.

Yours in the struggle,

Phill