March 27, 2012

Medicaid Covers Routine HIV Testing in About Half of States

Only 23 states cover routine HIV screening under their Medicaid programs, according to a Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) report. Medicaid is the largest provider of coverage and care for people with HIV/AIDS in the United States. In 2006, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended that all public and private health providers offer routine HIV screening for people between the ages of 13 and 64. Since routine screening is an optional Medicaid benefit, many states have chosen not to cover it and instead only provide HIV screening when it is “medically necessary.” HIV groups say that when routine screening is not covered by insurance, health care providers often disregard the CDC recommendation, which then limits HIV testing. The KFF report estimates that the majority of undiagnosed HIV cases reside in states whose Medicaid programs cover only “medically necessary” HIV screening.

To read the KFF report, click here.

Search: Medicaid, Kaiser Family Foundation, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC, routine screening, CDC recommendations, screening, testing, new infections, KFF

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Tony, , 2012-03-28 12:04:39
You can get a free HIV test at every bar, bathhouse, church, ASO & public clinic. Anyone who isn't getting tested at this point is doing so because they're avoiding it or because no one conceives of them being at risk. Adding yet another testing option seems like an unnecessary expense. Given that there are problems in this country with providing access to meds and care once you do test positive, this seems like a stupid way to spend money. Are we helping poz people, or catering to politics?