South Carolina Medicaid Agency Cuts Services for Health Care

On Wednesday, the state Medicaid agency announced major service reductions affecting low-income patients, including those with HIV. These were triggered by the 7 percent, across-the-board budget cuts ordered last week by the state's financial oversight committee. Since July, the Medicaid program has lost $137 million as the state slashed $1 billion to cope with flagging revenues during the economic downturn.

One of the cuts, which saves $40,000 by no longer enrolling HIV patients, will deprive HIV/AIDS patients of medicine, advocates contend. "People are going to die. Denying drugs for HIV?" said Sue Berkowitz, executive director of the South Carolina Appleseed Legal Justice Center. "These are lifesaving medications," said Carmen Julious, executive director of the Palmetto AIDS Life Support Services in Columbia.

On Jan. 1, the state will no longer cover nutritional supplements for those enrolled in Community Long Term Care and HIV waiver programs. The number of meals home-delivered to waiver beneficiaries will cut in half, to just seven per week. Medicaid funds will no longer be available for the construction of home wheelchair ramps.

The state is ending hospice care for Medicaid-only patients. "Hospice is the only program proposed to be completely eliminated in this round," said Tamara West, who runs the Carolina Center for Hospice and End of Life Care.

Home health nurse visits will be reduced from 75 per year to 50 per year, and the state will cover less of the gap in Medicare Part D prescription benefits. The state had covered 95 percent of the difference, and that will be reduced next year to 10 percent.

For more information, visit www.dhhs.state.sc.us/dhhsnew/whatsnew.asp.

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