Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1996. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
PR Newswire, 810 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10019 - Wednesday, 13 November 1996.
An estimated 60 percent of people living with HIV/AIDS in the region currently rely on Medical Assistance for their healthcare. A broad coalition of people with HIV/AIDS, AIDS service organizations and advocates (see list below) is calling for the delayed enrollment of people with HIV/AIDS into HealthChoices until several troubling concerns are addressed.
"The results of the survey are only the tip of the iceberg," said Ronda Goldfein, Senior Staff Attorney of the AIDS Law Project. "If HealthChoices goes into effect January 1, many people with AIDS won't be able to access necessary medical care. HealthChoices has no HIV standard of care, no HIV- related quality assurance standards, and no reasonable grievance procedures for consumers unfairly denied care. Consumer information is inadequate and in many cases simply wrong. And most important, there is no financial incentive for HMOs to provide the costly medical care required by people with HIV/AIDS."
Representatives from the coalition presented the results of the survey at a press conference today, Wednesday, November 13, at 11 a.m. at District 1199 Hall, 1319 Locust Street, Philadelphia.
Ad Hoc Working Group on HealthChoices Members:
David Acosta, GALAEI Project
Roy Hayes, Susie Birenbaum, William J. Craig Foundation
Family Services of Bucks County
Mike Hinson, Colours
Gary Bell, BEBASHI
Sonya Hunt-Gray,
Jose Benitez, Philadelphia EMA HIV
North Philadelphia Health System
Planning Commission
Keith Burress, Larry Hochendoner, Family Services of Chester County
The Philadelphia AIDS Consortium
Kevin Conaro, ActionAIDS
Kate Krauss, ACT UP Philadelphia
Joe Cronauer, We The People
Kiyoshi Kuromaya, Living with HIV/AIDS
Critical Path AIDS Project in the Delaware Valley
Bob Long, Project Hope
Julie Davids, Jeff Maskovsky, Philadelphia FIGHT
Project Teach Project
Jena Nottingham, Minority AIDS
Mark Davis, Project of Philadelphia & Vicinity
Philadelphia EMA HIV
James Roberts, Minority AIDS Planning Commission
Project of Philadelphia & Vicinity
Paul Davis, ACT UP Philadelphia
Asia Russell, ACT UP Philadelphia
Lisa Dugan, Jane Shull, Philadelphia FIGHT
The Philadelphia AIDS Consortium
Lisa Shulock, CHOICE
Patrick Egan, Linda Smith, We The People
AIDS Law Project of Pennsylvania
Living With HIV/AIDS
Nan Feyler, in the Delaware Valley
AIDS Law Project of Pennsylvania
Ron Sy, Bruce Flannery, AIDS Services in Asian Communities
Pennsylvania Coalition
Guy Weston, of AIDS Service Organizations
Philadelphia EMA HIV
Anna Forbes, Planning Commission
The Philadelphia AIDS Consortium
Heshie Zinman, Ronda Goldfein AIDS Information Network
AIDS Law Project of Pennsylvania
CONTACT: Ronda Goldfein or Nan Feyler, Esq., Executive Director, of the AIDS Law Project of Pennsylvania, 215-587-9377
Copyright (c) 1996/PR NewsWire. Reproduced with permission. Reproduction of this article (other than one copy for personal reference) must be cleared through the Permissions Desk, PR Newswire, 810 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10019.
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