Medicaid Managed Care - U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging

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The HIV epidemic disproportionately Impacts many so-calied special populations.
To successfully meet the needs of people living with HIV, the requirements of
people of color, gay men and lesbians, substance users, people with hemophilia,
persons In need of mental health services, and Individuals from traditionaily
underserved communities must be an Important component of any
managed care program serving these Individuals.
Communities hardest hit by the HIV epidemic often have been labeled as 'special populations.' How-
ever, these so-called special populations are in fact our neighboes, our families, our friends, our dients.
and even ourselves.
Too often, the needs of specific groups of people have been treated as an afterthought for many health
care plans In other words after health care plans have established their core set of benefits, they then
tacs on a supplementary (and often inadequate) package of programs to provide mental health, sub-
stance abuse treatment, transportation, and other supposedly ancillary services. In reality, these services
are essential to the health and well-being of people living with HIV.
These supplementary programs are problematic because the services offered are often underfunded
or barriers are erected to limit the use of these services. They are usually not made equally available
to all beneficiaries who need them. Generally, the seavices are also not coordinated sufficiently with
other benefits.
In providing HIV care it is important to understand that all people have some sort of special need. Only
plans that seek to coordinate all services, including non-traditional health are services and enabling
services, such as transportation, win be able to effetively serve people living with HIV.
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF PEOPLE WITH AIDS I