LOS ANGELES -- Congresswoman Maxine Waters said she wants insurance companies to cover the cost of HIV testing and testing for federal prisoners when they arrive and when they leave the penal institutions.

“We will ensure that your confidentiality is respected,” said Waters, D-California. “What we’re saying is…just offer it. Just do it. We believe that when you do this kind of testing, not only will you catch HIV/AIDS, but you can get people started on the kinds of medicines that they need in order to have long and healthy lives.”

Waters said she realizes the bills are among the most controversial that she’s drafted related to HIV testing and funding for HIV/AIDS clients.

The insurance bill (H.R. 822) would require insurance companies to pay for HIV testing in the same way they cover the cost of diabetes testing.

H.R. 1943, the Stop AIDS in Prison Act of 2007, calls for mandatory HIV/AIDS testing for all inmates arriving and exiting a federal correctional facility. Waters and others introduced a similar bill (H.R. 6038, Stop AIDS in Prison Act of 2006) last fall.

Waters efforts are a response to the growing impact HIV/AIDS is having on minority communities. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, African Americans account for half of all new HIV/AIDS cases. Racial and ethnic minorities comprise 69 percent of new cases, according to the 2005 data released by the CDC. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, African Americans made up 41 percent of all inmates in the prison system at the end of 2004.

“Congresswoman Waters always has been an unapologetic advocate for fighting AIDS in black communities,” said Phill Wilson, executive director of the Black AIDS Institute. “AIDS in America today is a black disease. Current funding levels and HIV policies are not keeping up with the reality of AIDS in Black America. The Black AIDS Institute supports Congresswoman Waters’ call for additional funding for HIV awareness, prevention and treatment; we welcome her leadership on new ways to think about HIV policies in the United States.”

By enacting this bill, Waters said she hopes that the spread of HIV/AIDS among inmates will be curbed. The congresswoman added that the bill would also provide comprehensive and timely medical treatment to those incarcerated. It’s also designed to promote HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention, she said.

Although some state prisons require routine HIV testing among inmates and provide treatment access, federal prisons currently do not, according to CQ HealthBeat.

Original cosponsors of the Stop AIDS in Prison Act include Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich., Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee; Rep. Lamar S. Smith, R-Texas, Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee; Rep. Robert C. Scott, D-Va., Chairman of the Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security, which has jurisdiction over federal prisons; and Rep. Randy Forbes, R-Va., Ranking Member of that subcommittee. Waters is also asking Congress for an additional $610 million for the Minority AIDS Initiative under a separate proposal.