STEP 3: Finding Quality Health Care

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STEP 3: Finding Quality Health Care

Part of HIV and Me: An African American's Guide to Living With HIV

January 30, 2007

Even if you don't need treatment yet, you'll still need to find a medical professional experienced in treating people with HIV. Regular checkups with an HIV health care provider are extremely important, even when you don't feel sick.

You'll need to find a health care provider (this could be a physician, nurse practitioner or physician assistant) with special training in HIV who has treated 20 or more people with HIV in the past two years. You'll want someone who stays on top of the newest information about HIV medications, tests and other issues.

However, it's just as important to choose someone you like, someone you feel you can trust and be open with. This means you'll need to find someone you can be honest with about sensitive issues -- everything from sex, drugs and alcohol use to missing doses of HIV meds.

Your health care provider is your partner in fighting the virus. She or he will be your ally for a long time, helping you deal with the ups and downs of HIV disease, the drugs that control the virus, the side effects that may come with the drugs, and many other health issues. You need to be completely open with your health care provider in order for him or her to do their job -- which is to help you stay healthy.

"The more knowledge HIV-positive people have, the better they are able to consider the pros and cons of each decision. I encourage questions from my patients because I feel it is important to their care."
Bethsheba Johnson, Nurse Practitioner at the Luck Care Center in Chicago

To read more about Bethsheba, click here.

Every person living with HIV deserves the best care possible, regardless of ability to pay. The good news is, not only do you deserve the best care, you can get it.

There's a nationwide network of services, programs and resources to help people with HIV remain healthy -- even people who have no insurance or low incomes.

Many big cities have state-of-the-art HIV clinics for people who have no insurance. When you enroll in these clinics, you get medical care from a top team of HIV health care providers as well as counseling and support for mental health, substance abuse and other issues. You may be assigned to a case manager, who will become the person you can turn to first for whatever help you need -- such as figuring out which government programs can pay for your HIV medications and HIV care.

Live in a rural area? Getting the best HIV care possible may mean traveling to the nearest city several times a year -- an extra effort, but one that will repay you with better health.

For a list of HIV clinics near you, call the National HIV/AIDS Hotline at 1-800-232-4636. An HIV clinic will give you better care than other types of health clinics or hospital emergency rooms, since it is staffed by HIV specialists and is equipped specifically to help people with HIV.

"What makes the doctor is not their color, but the choices they're making and how committed they are to the patient."
Marcya Owens, age 36, diagnosed in 1994

To read more about Marcya, click here.

Programs to Help

Programs to help you pay for doctor visits, lab tests, prescription drugs and other medical care

Private Health Insurance. If you have private health coverage through your workplace, learn all you can about your plan's coverage, especially its participating health care providers (doctors, hospitals and healthcare facilities). If your coverage is through an HMO (health maintenance organization), check out the list of in-plan doctors who specialize in HIV. To find a good local HIV specialist, call your local HIV/AIDS organization and ask if they have a list of recommended local HIV doctors. Be sure also to get referrals from any HIV-positive people you know.
Medicaid. If you don't have private health insurance, you may be eligible for Medicaid -- government health insurance for people with limited income or resources. Many HIV specialists accept Medicaid, so don't hesitate to ask before making an appointment.
Medicare. If you're retired and over age 65, you're eligible for this government health insurance program. Some people with HIV who are under 65 may also qualify. Many HIV specialists accept Medicare.
ADAP (AIDS Drug Assistance Programs). This federally funded program is available in every U.S. state and provides free HIV medications to low-income people who don't have health insurance. To find out if you qualify for ADAP and to learn how to enroll, call the National HIV/AIDS Hotline at 1-800-232-4636.

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This article was provided by Body Health Resources Foundation. It is a part of the publication HIV and Me: An African American's Guide to Living With HIV.

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