Federal health officials have found that one quarter of Medicaid enrollees nationwide diagnosed with HIV did not receive crucial treatment. That rate was much worse for Montanans on Medicaid.
The report from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Inspector General found that nearly 170 Montanans on Medicaid are diagnosed with HIV. Among those, 42% were missing one or more crucial HIV treatments, including medical visits and viral load tests. Some patients also weren’t receiving antiretroviral prescriptions, which suppress the virus that causes HIV.
Missing these treatments can lead to worse health outcomes and increased risk of transmitting HIV. The report found that people only on Medicaid were three times more likely to miss treatment services compared to older adults who qualify for both Medicaid and Medicare.
The report suggested that better Medicare coverage may be a part of the problem, but said more study is required to fully understand the issue.
