HIV Digest	HIV Digest Archive

Some AIDS activists say the new Medicare program, signed into law by President Bush, will put many people with AIDS in jeopardy. The bill provides Medicare recipients with prescription drug coverage through private insurance policies.

"This bill calls for some 6 million low-income elderly and disabled Medicare recipients who also receive Medicaid to be barred from access to Medicaid drug benefits when this bill takes effect in 2006," said Terje Anderson, executive director of the National Association of People with AIDS. "Assurances made by the Bush administration that 50,000 people living with AIDS will not be harmed must be supported with concrete plans and specific program advice."

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The overhaul is also facing criticism because it will use a drug formulary and refuse to pay for anything not on the list. Although patients could appeal a denial of coverage, they could not buy private insurance to cover the drugs. In theory, the measure sets an annual limit for out-of-pocket drug costs of $3,600. However, non-formulary drugs purchased by a beneficiary would not be counted toward this limit.

Anderson said that "limiting which medicines can be provided to people living with AIDS can threaten our health and lives. Health care providers must have access to all anti-retroviral medications approved by the Food and Drug Administration to provide US Public Health Service standard of care."

Under the new Medicare program, private insurers must offer one generic and one brand-name drug in each therapeutic class, meaning dually eligible Medicaid-Medicare AIDS patients should have access to at least two AIDS drugs.

HIV Medicine Association Director Christina Lubinski said it is vital for AIDS patients to have access to a variety of drugs because of HIV's ability to mutate. Most AIDS patients must take a three-drug combination or change drugs often to slow the disease's progress.

Editor's Note: from Inter Press Service