HIVMA supports public plan option to ensure patients' needs are met

Arlington, VA—As Congress drafts health care reform legislation, HIV clinicians urge lawmakers to include a public plan option to ensure affordable access to comprehensive care for HIV patients—nearly 30 percent of whom have no insurance. The HIV Medicine Association (HIVMA) believes that a public plan option can help offer everyone the chance to benefit from early and reliable access to lifesaving HIV care and treatment.

"HIV treatment is one of the most effective medical interventions available today, but it requires ongoing access to high-cost medications and services over the course of a patient's lifetime," said Michael S. Saag, MD, FIDSA, HIVMA chair-elect. "People with chronic conditions like HIV are not attractive to most private insurers."

HIVMA is particularly concerned that private insurers will discourage HIV patients from enrolling in their plans by excluding HIV clinicians and programs from their provider networks. HIV treatment delivered by an experienced HIV provider results in better patient outcomes and more cost-effective care.

Only 17 percent of HIV patients have private insurance coverage, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. Fifty-four percent rely on Medicaid and/or Medicare, while 29 percent are completely uninsured. Even if potential safeguards were in place requiring private insurance plans to include HIV health care providers, it would be difficult to ensure the adequacy of HIV provider networks in the numerous private plans that likely will be available across the country.

"The availability of a public plan option will ensure a reliable coverage option is available to people with HIV no matter where they live in the U.S.," said Arlene Bardeguez, MD, MPH, HIVMA chair. "A public plan option will better ensure all of our patients have the opportunity to benefit from HIV treatment and live healthy and productive lives."