Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1996. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
The Bay Area Reporter - August 6, 1996
Bill Thorne, ACT UP/Golden Gate Writers Pool
Tremendous coalition-building efforts with patients, government officials, the media, and AIDS experts have translated into better care for Kaiser patients. The time has come to aggressively communicate with other health provider organizations to better ensure that all HIV patients within both the public and private sectors receive access to the best care possible.
Town hall meetings, newspaper advertisements, phone and fax zaps, and demonstrations all helped keep the spotlight on the issues for PWAs with Kaiser. Perhaps most instrumental of all was the work of Supervisor Tom Ammiano, who held hearings and introduced a resolution telling Kaiser that their contract, as the largest provider of medical care to city employees, required them to provide the best possible care. Following months of negotiations between ACT UP/Golden Gate, Kaiser, and the supervisor, several positive outcomes emerged.
Viral load tests
Kaiser has decided to cover viral load tests for all patients. The tests are used to measure disease progression as well as determine if one has become or is becoming resistance to current therapy. Kaiser is using the most up-to-date tests available.
Standard of Care document/policy
Kaiser has drafted a document outlining everything from doctor selection and antiviral therapy to opportunistic infection prophylaxis and treatment. The document, to be completed by late September or October, will be reviewed by patients, physicians, and community members, including ACT UP/Golden Gate, Project Inform, The Living Well Project, and The San Francisco AIDS Foundation. Women's and pediatric issues will be included in the policies as well, which will be periodically updated.
Growth hormone
Kaiser has added Recombinant Human Growth Hormone to its list of covered therapies for AIDS-associated wasting syndrome. It is currently available to eligible patients. Kaiser patients now have all available therapies for wasting as part of their coverage as a member.
HIV coordinator and specialty clinic
Patients have demanded these things for years. "While we continue to want most of our physicians to be well trained in HIV, the reality is that a core group are the experts," commented Kaiser HIV Medical Director Dr. Michael Pawlik. "We will organize ourselves into a subspecialty clinic ... and will be able to permeate the latest in clinical practices through the Medical Center."
ACT UP/Golden Gate has pushed for seven years for patients to have specialists, a central place to go to address HIV concerns and have a mechanism to switch doctors quickly if they choose.
"We at ACT UP/Golden Gate are glad to have achieved some victories for PWAs by working with Supervisor Ammiano," said David Mahon. "It is clear to us that we would have been unable to do this without his hard work. We wish to publicly thank him for standing up for the needs of PWAs.
"We will continue to work with the supervisor's office to improve many more areas at Kaiser, including making Kaiser's Research Unit more responsive to PWAs; better care for all HIV-associated illnesses; improving HIV prevention and care for women and children; as well as addressing the inadequate grievance procedures currently in place," he continued.
"ACT UP/Golden Gate recognizes these victories in the context of dominoes beginning to fall, of which Kaiser is only the first of many HMOs and reimbursers who we intend to challenge on all these issues and more," stated Steve Johnson of ACT UP/Golden Gate. "We are approaching 13 other reimbursers to respond regarding their level of care for their HIV/AIDS patients."
ACT UP/Golden Gate is demanding written responses from all the CEOs and presidents of these multi-million dollar corporations, dubbed the "13 MOST WANTED," by next Friday, August 16. They are asked to address all the issues raised above, as well as any other areas they might like to expand upon.
Otherwise, they are aware, ACT UP/Golden Gate may be forced to move onto the next level of communication, as was done at Kaiser Permanente on World AIDS Day.
Remember, ACT UP/Golden Gate is watching.
ACTion UPdate:
Where to call for what's called for:
Send a message to the corporate leaders below and tell them how important it is to you that they provide the best, state-of-the-art treatment for people infected with HIV (viral load, growth hormone, a written Standard of Care, etc.). All numbers are 800 or local where available.
If they are at a different telephone number, have them call you back and spend their dime - they have lots of money.
Table 1: Contact List
| COMPANY | OFFICIAL | TELEPHONE NUMBER |
|---|---|---|
| Aetna | Ronald E Compton | 800-872-3862 |
| Blue Cross Cal Care | Leonard Schaeffer | 818-703-2345 |
| Blue Shield | Thomas C Paton | 415-445-5000 |
| Cigna | W H Taylor | 415-954-1400 |
| Foundation Health | Daniel Crowley | 800-284-1894 |
| Health Net | Arthur Foutham | 510-465-9600 |
| Lifeguard | Mark Hyde | 408-943-9400 |
| MediCal | Kim Belshe | 916-255-3500 |
| Metlife & United HMO | Harry P Hamon | 415-546-3600 |
| Pacific Atlantic Adm | Gary M Van Der Voort | 708-773-3800 |
| Pacificare | Terry Hartshorn | 415-461-2800 |
| Prucare | Arthur Ryan | 800-437-5556 |
| Take Care | William Price | 714-963-7233 |
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