Obama: 20 percent with HIV don't know it

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WASHINGTON, June 27 (UPI) -- More than 1.1 million live with HIV in the United States, but more than 200,000 are unaware of their infection, President Barack Obama said Wednesday.

"National HIV Testing Day highlights the importance of HIV testing and the fight against HIV/AIDS," Obama said in a statement. "Those who don't know about their HIV infection may unknowingly be transmitting the virus to others. Knowing your HIV status is a vital step toward accessing life-extending treatment for HIV, and thanks to ongoing research, that treatment is more effective than ever."

In July 2010, the Obama administration released the National HIV/AIDS Strategy, which emphasizes the goals of reducing infections, improving health outcomes and reducing HIV-related health disparities.

"The Affordable Care Act now requires many health insurance plans to provide recommended preventive health services with no out-of-pocket costs, giving millions of Americans better access to HIV testing. Another CDC program, the Expanding Testing Initiative, has conducted 2.8 million tests in its first three years."