Pozwatch.com

HIV

The high cost of HIV medications can make paying for treatment scary, but it doesn't have to be. Many people with HIV think that getting help to pay for medication is impossible. This is simply not true.

In 2 of the largest studies of HIV care in the United States, half of people with HIV used public assistance programs (Medicare and Medicaid), one third had access to private insurance programs, and less than one quarter were uninsured. Nonetheless, getting access to insurance programs can be challenging. This section of the Web site has been developed to provide you with the resources you need to get help in paying for HIV medications.

Getting the Help You Need

There are a number of people out there who can help you in your search to find help: benefit providers, benefits counselors, treatment advocates, case managers, and other social service specialists. Your local AIDS Service Organization (ASO) can help you locate these types of people. This Web site also is designed to provide you with some of the basic information that you will need about different options that are available to you, including public assistance programs, private insurance programs, and patient assistance programs sponsored by pharmaceutical companies.

The Importance of Assistance

Besides the obvious benefits of having some sort of assistance to help you pay for your HIV treatment, evidence suggests that having insurance can also have a positive effect on your health. Studies have shown that not having insurance can lead to:

A delay in diagnosis
Life-threatening complications
Premature death