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Atlanta-area activists are concerned about how a federally funded program that pays the private health insurance premiums of low-income HIV/AIDS patients has been administered by the Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH).
Under the federally funded Health Insurance Continuation Program (HICP), nonprofits assist HIV-positive clients in applying to DPH, which writes the checks and mails them directly to the insurance companies. HICP serves 364 Georgians.
State Health Officer Dr. Brenda Fitzgerald acknowledged payments were late in January. “There certainly was a lot of difficulty in the past,” said Fitzgerald, who became chief of DPH in February.
Alpha Goodshepherd said he applied to DPH on May 16 to have his $510 monthly insurance premium covered by HICP. Although his request was approved, the state failed to mail the check by the premium due date, and Goodshepherd’s coverage was cancelled. “It left me with over $10,000 in medical bills that I am unable to pay,” he said.
HICP is less expensive than enrolling patients in the AIDS Drug Assistance Program, the federal-state program that supplies AIDS drugs for low-income patients. Goodshepherd is now on Georgia ADAP’s waiting list, along with 1,718 other people.
AID Atlanta Executive Director Tracy Elliot said he has sought an explanation from DPH as to why it takes so long to process the paperwork. For example, he noted in late June HICP clients awaited word that their premiums were paid. Departmental timelines show checks were cut on June 30 and were postmarked by the end of day on July 1. Elliot noted the first of the month is the payment deadline for many insurance policies. “That timeline is just too close in any case,” he said.
DPH spokesperson Ryan Deal said the problems included “poor employee performance,” outdated computer software, and incomplete submitted paperwork, but appear to be “extremely limited” as of late. Three people had their insurance lapse or cancel in June, he said, and “arrangements have been made for two of the affected patients to receive medications through alternate programs.” DPH is waiting for the third patient to submit an application for help, he said.
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
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