Low-income Utahns newly diagnosed with HIV or who have lost insurance coverage no longer have access to free medications through the state.

The Utah Department of Health closed its AIDS Drug Assistance Program to new patients last week — even as more HIV-positive patients are seeking the help.

Program administrator Mike Lowe said it was that increased demand, coupled with flat funding from the federal government, that forced the closure.

He said the 475 people currently receiving assistance will remain in the program.

"There's so many more people that want to access the program," Lowe said. "We receive the same amount of money each year. In the past, we just cut back on services. Now we're at the point where we can't really cut back on any more services."

The health department is creating a waiting list as it seeks an additional $750,000 from the Health Resources and Services Administration to cover the increased demand. In the meantime, it is directing HIV patients who can't afford the medications — some can cost $1,500 a month — to seek financial assistance from pharmaceutical companies.

An average of four or five people sought assistance each month in the past but the number jumped to 18 this year, Lowe said. He attributes the increase to HIV patients losing their jobs because of the economy.

The number of new HIV cases may also be rising: In Salt Lake County, where the majority of Utahns with HIV are diagnosed, 28 people had been tallied as of the end of April — putting it on track to meet 2009 figures. Last year's figures showed a dip in new HIV cases, though that could be due to reporting problems.

The health department closed the assistance program to new patients for a year in the fall of 2009. It also lowered the eligibility requirements to those earning 250 percent of the federal poverty level, cutting 89 people from the program.

The program reopened last August, after the state received an extra $750,000 from HRSA. The state does not contribute to medication costs. It annually receives $2.7 million to cover medications, including anti-retrovirals.

Nationally, more than 7,600 people in 11 states are on waiting lists for the drug assistance program.

Anti-retrovirals can slow down the development of AIDS. In addition, a new international study showed that HIV-positive men and women who take the drugs while they are still relatively healthy reduced the risk of transmitting it to their heterosexual partners.