Managed Care Program Developed for HIV Care in South Africa
The International Association of Physicians in AIDS Care is working on a not-for-profit managed care carve-out program of enhanced HIV care for patients with HIV in South Africa, the Journal of the American Medical Association reports. Some patients' health insurance programs will cover the $7 monthly premium, employers will pay the premium for others, and some patients may be able to pay the premium out of pocket. Voluntary counseling and testing, immune status monitoring, prophylaxis for opportunistic infections and antiretroviral therapy will be provided in the care package. Dr. Shaun Conway, head of the IAPAC regional office in Johannesburg, said that HIV care in South Africa is currently "inconsistent or nonexistent" due to the high cost of treatment, lack of skilled health care professionals, and patients' mistrust of treatment. IAPAC, also developing training programs for health care workers in South Africa, anticipates the managed care program will become operational later this year (Voelker, JAMA, 1/10).
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