Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1996. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1996. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
Reuters NewMedia, Inc. - Tuesday, 10 December 1996.
The arrests took place as 300 people demonstrated outside offices of the federal Health Care Financing Administration, whose approval is needed to implement the program.
The protesters said 13,000 Philadelphia-area residents suffering from AIDS or the virus that causes the disease will face health risks if forced to enroll in the program in which patients choose from one of four health maintenance organizations (HMOs).
Critics of the program, called HealthChoices, charge that it it lacks doctors experienced in treating AIDS and that it fails to reflect the high cost of AIDS care.
``The kind of care people need with HIV/AIDS, which let me say right now might keep people living ... is just not available through HealthChoices.'' said Nan Feyler, executive director of the AIDS Law Project in Philadelphia.
Feyler and other protesters locked arms in the middle of the street outside the federal agency. Those arrested were carried into waiting vans by police, who charged them with the minor infraction of blocking a highway.
The arrested demonstrators would be released after processing, a police spokesman said.
State officials last week postponed by one month, until Feb. 1, the start of the HealthChoices program. They said more time was needed to ensure ``stringent terms and conditions'' were met.
The federal Department of Health and Human Services said in a statement it would ``continue to work with the commonwealth (of Pennsylvania) to ensure the transition to managed care does not disrupt essential services for those with HIV disease and other chronic conditions.''
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