Petitioners for compassionate payments from the Ricky Ray Trust Fund have just over eight months to file their applications.  Program regulations set Nov. 13, 2001, as the deadline for submitting petitions to the Ricky Ray Program Office in HRSA’s Bureau of Health Professions.

The trust fund, established under the 1998 Ricky Ray Hemophilia Relief Fund Act, allows compassionate payments of $100,000 to be made to individuals with blood-clotting disorders, such as hemophilia, who contracted HIV from contaminated blood products between July 1, 1982, and Dec. 31, 1987.  Spouses and children who contracted HIV from these individuals and certain survivors may also be eligible.

Congress appropriated $580 million in FY 2001 to make Ricky Ray payments; those funds will allow payments to more than 5,600 currently filed petitions.  To date, about $170 million has been paid from the trust fund.

A petition form, along with instructions on filling it out and other information on the Ricky Ray program, can be obtained on the Web at www.hrsa.gov/bhpr/rickyray or by calling toll-free 1-888-496-0338.