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New Resource: Michigan Go Local
Wayne State University's Shiffman Medical Library staff has put together a tremendous new resource for locating HIV/AIDS related services in Michigan on the Internet. Linked through the National Library of Medicine (NLM), the Michigan Go Local resource is part of a large National Institutes of Health project and is connected to Medline Plus.

Assistance and Benefits

CARE Act

Drugs

See also DRUG Warnings

  • Drug Assistance Program DAP
  • Resources: Drug Images Added to Drug Fact Sheets AIDSinfo recently added images of anti-HIV medications to the drug information fact sheets found in the Drugs section of the Web site. Clicking on the drug icon(s) located to the right of a drug's name opens a larger image of the tablet, capsule, or bottle. AIDSinfo: Drug Databa

  • Guides to Side Effects
  • Report hoaxes to CDC

Treatment

MDCH-HAPIS Documents

  •  Michigan’s Part B 2009 Statewide Coordinated Statement of Need - PDF File
  •  Michigan's 2009 Care Comprehensive Plan - PDF File
  • For complete information on MDCH-DHWDC-HAPIS Care Programs see the new MDCH website at www.michigan.gov/hivstd
     

Medical

PWA Issues

 

See also Research News and Resources  resources for PLWHA

The (former) Michigan Persons Living with HIV/AIDS Needs Task Force Web site has a wealth of resources and information for PLWH/As, their caregivers and case managers.

Physicians: Looking for assistance with HIV patient treatment? See Resources in the Medical and Clinical section.


Adherence

Adherence Video

The Michigan adherence work group has produced a video to assist physicians in discussing the issues of drug adherence. The video is available by calling the MI AIDS Hotline 1-800-872-2437. Also, AIDS Partnership Michigan has developed one of the first drug programs in the country to help clients achieve full adherence to complex drug regimens. The program also established mechanisms for monitoring possible side effects of the drugs as well as aspects of the patient's daily life.

TREATMENT ADHERENCE: FAMILY SUPPORT HELPS HIV PATIENTS
STICK TO DRUG REGIMEN 

Kaiser HIV/AIDS Report (4/14)
Self-confidence and support from family and friends help HIV
patients keep up with their complicated drug regimens, according
to a study in the March issue of Health Psychology. Researchers
from the Medical College of Wisconsin interviewed 72 men and
women taking highly active antiretroviral therapy, finding that
"those who lacked social support or weren't confident that they
could manage their drug regimen were less likely to comply with
their treatment." Study author Dr. Sheryl Catz of the Wisconsin
university said, "The results suggest that patients taking HIV
medications should be regularly monitored to identify any
barriers to (taking their drugs on schedule)." Such
comprehensive care "means giving patients easy access to an
'interdisciplinary team' of doctors, nurses, social workers,
psychologists and dieticians," she added (Reuters Health, 4/12).

 

Ask 'The Body'

Your HIV Questions Answered, FREE!

Ever wish you could ask an HIV specialist a question anytime you
wanted, anonymously and from the privacy of your home? Wish no
longer! At the Body Pro's "Ask the Experts" forums, you can ask
whatever's on your mind, and one of their top HIV health
professionals will answer -- free of charge! You can also search
through our massive archive of previously asked questions on
everything from starting treatment to mental health to having a
baby when you're HIV positive.
http://www.thebody.com/experts.shtml


HIV Medications: When to Start and What to Take
Order this booklet from The Body
http://www.thebody.com/content/art12718.html

Got a question specifically about starting HIV treatment? Meet Dr.
Gerald Pierone, Jr., The Body's newest expert and the founder of an AIDS
research and treatment center in Fort Pierce, Fla. He joins Drs.
David Wohl and Ben Young to provide you with the answers to your
treatment questions.
http://www.thebody.com/Forums/AIDS/Starting/index.html


CARE Act

New TARGET Web Site Centralizes Ryan White CARE Act Technical Resources

The TARGET (Technical Assitance Resources, Guidance, Education and Training) Center Web site and Help Desk are resources that centralize an array of technical assistance resources for Ryan White CARE Act grantees and HIV/AIDS Bureau (HAB) staff. The Help Desk is available online or via phone at: 301-443-0067. TARGET resources include those developed by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) HAB as well as other grantees:

Best Practices Technical Assistance Library
Links to CARE Act Grantees
Online and Phone Help Desk

Check out the TARGET Web site today! http://careacttarget.org/
AIDSinfo At-a-Glance: Volume Issue No. 52

Care for Children and Infants

Caring for an HIV-Positive Child

If you're caring for an HIV-positive child, one of the important decisions you'll make will be choosing a doctor and a program that will provide the best care. The National Pediatric and Family HIV Resource Center offers some tips on how to get the best care possible for HIV-positive children.

www.thebody.com/nphrc/wellcare.html

 

FAQ on Pediatric AIDS

Frequently asked questions and answers concerning pediatric AIDS, from The National Pediatric and Family HIV Resource Center.

www.thebody.com/nphrc/questions/contents.html

 

Case Management

See the current DHWDC Case Management Training Schedule

 

 

PWA Confidentiality

"Shut UP! Project"

This was a project of the former MAX (Michigan Advocates Exchange) that was invented to distribute materials describing the HIV confidentiality law around the state, to allow people to deal with violations of their privacy. That project died when MAX closed. "Shut Up Project" actually had three tools: (1) the "Shut Up" article for people living with HIV that explained their rights and responsibilities, (2) the "Shut Up" cards with a summary of the confidentiality law on one side and MAX's contact info on the other, and (3) the "Shut Up" letter that could be sent by anybody to anybody else with a big mouth. I've done some updating.

Former MAX ED Kendra Kleber, JD announced on February 8, "The 'Shut Up' article has been updated, and it is still a great introduction to legal rights for a person living with HIV. The 'Shut Up' letter has morphed into another article, this one targeted at the 'blabber.' It has a completely different tone from the old version, and now is an explanation of the confidentiality law for somebody with no background. The 'Shut Up' card is gone."

These new articles will be posted on Kleber's website www.positiveoutlook.org, on a new "Shut Up!" section. Each article is just two pages, which means that you could print them double-sided to save paper.


Kleber now has a private practice, Kendra S. Kleber & Associates PLLC, supporting the self-sufficiency, independence and quality of life of people living with HIV/AIDS
by providing those who are disabled and unable to work with creative and effective legal representation on claims for Social Security disability benefits, nationwide. You may contact her at P.O. Box 1960, Royal Oak, Michigan 48068-1960
248-591-0301 248-548-7909 (fax); kkleber@positiveoutlook.org 


 

 

Clinical Trials

AIDSinfo
The HIV/AIDS Clinical Trials Information Service (ACTIS) and the HIV/AIDS Treatment Information Service (ATIS) merged into AIDSinfo. This provides quick and easy access to wide-ranging federal resources on HIV/AIDS clinical research, HIV treatment and prevention, and medical practice guidelines for health care providers and consumers. For more information, visit
www.AIDSinfo.nih.gov.
 

NIH UNVEILS 'CONSUMER FRIENDLY' CLINICAL
TRIALS WEB SITE 

In March, NIH launched http://clinicaltrials.gov/ -- its
"consumer-friendly" database of more than 4,000 federal and
private medical studies, including those on HIV/AIDS. The
database includes information about the location of clinical
trials, their design, criteria for participation, and in many
cases, further information about the disease and treatment under
study.  (NIH release, 2/29).


This Little Medication Goes to Market, But This Little Med Stays Home
How does a new HIV medication get approved in the United States? How long does the approval process take, and what factors can make or break a prospective drug? Tim Horn of ACRIA Update offers this in-depth explanation of the many steps that must be taken before a prescription drug can be sold in the United States. Web highlight rom What's New at the Body (10/26/04)
http://www.thebody.com/cria/fall04/fda_approval.html?m70h  

 

Dental Care for PLWH/A

Michigan Dental Care Program

See the MDCH web site for more information on this program www.michigan.gov/hivstd  direct link:

http://www.michigan.gov/mdch/0,1607,7-132-2940_2955_2982_46000_46001-45691--,00.html

 

Other Programs in Michigan

There are several places in Michigan where individuals with HIV/AIDS can receive subsidized dental care. The University of Michigan Dental School is one place that all clients pay on an ability to pay basis and identification as HIV positive is not necessary for treatment. Individuals or case managers may call (734) 763-6933. The HIV/AIDS Resource Center in Ypsilanti, (734) 572-9355, is now the fiduciary for this service at U of M for clients in Regions 1 -8 seeking dental care. 

Also, the University of Detroit-Mercy has a clinic specifically for persons with HIV/AIDS who live in the Metro-Detroit area. Clients must have confirmed positive on an HIV test. Most are referred by physicians but some do come in on their own. The clinic has a leading edge professional staff for AIDS dental care.

HIVDENT Visit this site for information on oral manifestations of HIV disease (with photos), treatment, infection control and post-exposure protocol.

DENTAL HEALTH AND HIV

Why is dental care important for people living with HIV? Terry Wilder explains why, in AIDS Survival News.

www.thebody.com/asp/dec00/dental.html

Got questions about dental health and HIV? Ask The Body's online expert, Dr. David Reznik. www.thebody.com/cgi/oralans.html

 

Disabilities Information

Comprehensive Website for People with Disabilities
Social Security touches the lives of people with disabilities every day. That’s why we joined 21 other federal agencies to create www.disabilityinfo.gov . Disabilityinfo.gov is a comprehensive website designed to offer people with disabilities access to important information they can use. Disabilityinfo.gov is a one-stop website — not only for people with disabilities, but also for older Americans, employers, Social Security beneficiaries, community- and faith-based service providers and others. Disabilityinfo.gov features information on a number of related topics. The site is easy to navigate, and is organized into subject areas, including benefits, civil rights, community life, education, employment, health, housing, technology and transportation.

Assistance Applying for Social Security
Kendra S. Kleber JD, Kendra S. Kleber & Associates PLLC
Focusing on HIV/AIDS-based Social Security disability claims, and developing legal strategies and policy to enhance the self-sufficiency, independence and  quality of life of people living with HIV/AIDS. Nationwide.
P.O. Box 1960, Royal Oak, MI 48068; email kkleber@positiveoutlook.org , 248-591-0301
www.positiveoutlook.org 

 

 

Guide on Housing and the CARE Act

"Housing is Health Care," a new HRSA/HAB guide on implementing the Bureau's housing policy regarding use of CARE Act funds for housing-related services, explains the flexibility of HAB Policy 99-02 (Use of CARE Act Funds for Housing Referral Services and Short-term or Emergency Housing Needs).  It outlines three implementation areas: housing categories to use in allocations and applications; record keeping and documentation; and funding/program changes.  Case studies on integrating housing funds under the CARE Act and HOPWA (Housing Opportunities for People with AIDS) are also featured.  Additional resources in the guide include a history of HIV/AIDS housing in the U.S.; planning under the CARE Act and HOPWA; a statement from HAB Administrator Dr. Joseph O'Neill on the role of housing in a changing epidemic; and technical resources available on housing.

The guide, produced in partnership with AIDS Housing of Washington, can be obtained from the HAB web site "Tools" page at: http://hab.hrsa.gov  (go to the "Select a Topic" pop up menu and click on "Homelessness and HIV") or the HRSA Information Center at 1-888-ASK-HRSA.


HOPWA

Administration of Michigan's Housing Opportunities for Persons With AIDS program has changed from the Division of HIV/AIDS -STD to the Bureau of Community Living, Children and Families, directed by Virginia Harmon.

 

Hospital Care

New information provides consumers with standardized assessments of the care that nearly 4,200 hospitals across the country provide to all adult patients, based on valid and reliable measures that have been shown to reflect quality of care. Hospital Compare is available on the Internet at www.hospitalcompare.hhs.gov  or www.medicare.gov . Consumers without web access can call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) to get the same information on hospital quality.

 

Hospice Care

Hospice Advantage provides comprehensive, compassionate care and comfort to people living with a terminal illness.   Everyone deserves to live in comfort and dignity throughout their lives.  Hospice Care helps ensure that those with a life-limiting illness live everyday to its fullest, by tending to their physical, emotional and spiritual needs.  Care is provided at home, in hospitals, nursing homes and other residential facilities. All of us at Hospice Advantage believe strongly in our mission of helping patients and their families, and we’re committed to ensuring that end of life is free from pain and other symptoms so that their remaining time is as rewarding as possible.
Michigan offices in Bay City, Detroit, Flint, Milford, Sheboygan, and Lansing see
www.hospiceadvantage.net


INSURANCE INFORMATION

Online Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act  http://www.mihivnews.com/resource_national.htm#HIPPA

Insurance Information Institute
http://www.iii.org/home.html

Offers answers to consumers' questions on all types of insurance and provides an archive of insurance related news.


Insurance Assistance Program

The Michigan Insurance Assistance Program enables individuals with HIV/AIDS to continue health insurance coverage where in many cases the insurance would have lapsed because of economic hardships. This program has insured that the relationship and care that a client has had with his/her physician be allowed to continue with no sudden changes or disruption.  Also see DAP, for information on Michigan's Drug Assistance Program.

Effective 6/10/08: In order to clarify the prescription eligibility requirement for the Insurance Assistance Plus Program (IAP-Plus), the following definition will be used:

An applicant must be eligible for a private insurance policy with FULL prescription coverage.
Full prescription coverage is defined as prescription coverage with no annual maximum limit.
Please refer to the Insurance Assistance Program Pamphlet for additional eligibility requirements.

Please contact Monty Davenport, Insurance Assistance Program, Program Analyst with any questions that you may have: phone: (313) 456-3882; Fax: (313) 456-1680;
davenportm@michigan.gov

There is one application for both IAP programs.  You can find the application published at: www.michigan.gov/dhs-forms.

 

Insurance Portability

Online Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act  http://www.mihivnews.com/resource_national.htm#HIPPA

From: The Private Health Insurance Group (PHIG) at The Health Care
Financing Administration (HCFA)

Help consumers find out how their health coverage is affected by life
events such as:  job changes, marriage, divorce, birth, adoption or death. Online help to answer health coverage questions is now available!
Are you aware of the Federal health coverage protections under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA)?
If you field client or employee questions about: pre-existing conditions,
special enrollment, certificates of creditable coverage, or how to cope
with the denial or loss of health coverage, a welcome new tool has arrived.
A confidential, free, easy-to-use, 24-hour-a-day, Internet-based tool
called HIPAA OnLine helps answer consumer questions rapidly and accurately on the Federal health coverage protections provided by HIPAA. HIPAA OnLine responds directly to individual concerns about health coverage by guiding users through a series of questions that often lead to local resources for more information.
To request a CD, click on the Help icon on the HIPAA OnLine Web page or send an e-mail to hipaacd@saic.com (quantities are limited).

Additional Resources
HCFA is making another information product available.  "Protecting Your
Health Insurance Coverage" is a 45 page booklet outlining five key steps
that consumers can take to understand their Federal health coverage
protections under HIPAA. You may order single hard copies by calling
1-800-633-4227.  For 2-100 hard copies, fax your request to 1-410-786-4786.  For more than 100 hard copies, fax your request to 1-410-786-1905. In addition, the Georgetown University Health Policy Center also offers a user-friendly, widely-praised, interactive, state-specific HIPPA site at www.healthinsuranceinfo.net .

 

MEDICAID

Final Rules on Medicaid Beneficiary Protections Published

from the Kaiser HIV/AIDS Report 1/19/01

HHS published new regulations in the Federal Register requiring "greater patient protections" for beneficiaries enrolled in Medicaid managed care plans. The regulations, which will be enforced by HCFA, implement provisions of the 1997 BBA, and will take effect 90 days after publication. The rules include strengthened beneficiary protections and new provisions "designed to protect the rights of otherwise vulnerable" Medicaid beneficiaries. HHS says that among the "most important improvements" are increased protections for those with special needs. Published regulations for Medicaid managed care plans include the following:

Quality Care: States will be required to assure continued care access for Medicaid beneficiaries who have "ongoing health care needs" and switch from fee-for-service to a managed care plan, from one health plan to another or from a health plan to fee-for service. In addition, states and participating plans must identify beneficiaries with "special health care needs" and "assess the quality and appropriateness" of their care.

Health Assessment: Medicaid managed care plans must provide expedited health assessments to beneficiaries "at risk of having special health care needs" or to those who already have special health care needs.

Health Plan Marketing: Medicaid managed care plans must provide consumers with "comprehensive, easy-to-understand information" about heath plans and offer "most" beneficiaries a choice between at least two "qualified" health plans. States must also approve health plan marketing materials used to enroll and re-enroll Medicaid beneficiaries, and plans are restricted from engaging in "door-to-door, telephone and other forms of 'cold call' marketing."

Emergency Services: Medicaid managed care plans are required to cover emergency health care service costs "wherever and whenever the need for such services arises." Plans "are prohibited" from requiring prior approval for emergency services or from requiring beneficiaries to obtain care at "approved facilities." Emergency services are "based on a 'prudent layperson' standard that requires payment in situations where the beneficiary reasonably assumes that he or she is in an emergency situation."

Reimbursement: States are required to set managed care capitation rates that are "actuarially sound." The new regulations omit the "generally outdated regulatory ceiling on what states may pay managed care plans." An HHS release notes that this provision is "particularly important," as "more state Medicaid programs include people with chronic illnesses and disabilities in managed care" who require more expensive care. This provision implements a "new approach" to regulating capitation payments, and will have a 60-day comment period.

Access to Care: Female beneficiaries may have "direct access" to a woman's health specialist within a health plan's provider network for routine and preventive health care services. Also, beneficiaries will be allowed to obtain a second opinion from a "qualified" health professional.

Patient-Provider Communication: Medicare managed care plans may not impose restrictions, such as "gag rules" that interfere with patient-provider communications.

Network Adequacy: Plans must "assure" that they maintain the capacity to serve the "expected enrollment" in their service area.

Grievance Systems: Managed care plans must implement a system to address appeals and grievances, and all grievances must be resolved in "state established time frames" not exceeding 90 days. Resolution of appeals must occur "in accordance with medical needs," and not later than 30 days. "Expedited" time-frames of no more than 72 hours are required for certain grievances and appeals."

Fulfilling a Promise

These regulations "fulfil[l]" President Clinton's promise to "extend a Patients' Bill of Rights to all Americans enrolled in public health care programs," the HHS release states. Outgoing HHS Secretary Donna Shalala added, "Managed care provides the promise of better coordinated health care at a more reasonable cost. But all Americans -- whether they are in Medicare, Medicaid or private health plans -- deserve the basic protections that a Patients' Bill of Rights provides" (HHS release, 1/18)

 

Medicaid to Managed Care

See new Federal Guidelines

See The Managed Care in Michigan 2001 Review

AIDS Action has on line publications
including: Mgd Care and HIV/AIDS, a guide for CBO's; Stigma and HIV Prevention; Medicaid/Medicare Dual Eligibility for people with HIV/AIDS
http://www.aidsaction.org/communications/publications/index.html

Interactive Tools on Medicaid
From the Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured

The Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured presents the State Medicaid Fact Sheets and the Medicaid Benefits Online Database, two interactive tools featuring the latest key data, information and services provided for each state’s Medicaid program. Both tools allow for easy access to the data which can then be printed, saved and emailed.

STATE MEDICAID FACT SHEETS
http://cme.kff.org/Key=9643.z0.C.C.NxKlpp

Michigan: http://www.kff.org/mfs/medicaid.jsp?r1=MI&r2=US

This new interactive online tool provides the latest key data for each state’s Medicaid program and the population it serves, allowing for easy comparisons of one state to any other state or to the nation as a whole, on a selection of important indicators. Utilizing the latest Medicaid data from the Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured and drawn directly from Kaiser's continuously updated site for state health data, statehealthfacts.org, this tool provides figures and tables that can be easily printed as customized fact sheets, emailed or saved.


MEDICAID BENEFITS ONLINE DATABASE
http://cme.kff.org/Key=9643.z0.H.C.NmhmxT 

Michigan: http://kff.org/medicaid/benefits/state.jsp?nt=on&cat=0&yr=0&st=23

This interactive tool provides easy access to information on services provided by each state's Medicaid program. The database contains Medicaid benefits survey data from 2003 and 2004 with information about benefits covered, limits, co-payments and reimbursement methodologies for the 50 states, the District of Columbia and the Territories.

The tool allows for searches by state or service and permits comparisons between 2003 and 2004 information. Customized searches and the options of printing, emailing or saving search results are also available.



Fact Sheets: Getting the Best Out of Managed Care

These illustrated fact sheets are designed for a general audience and are available in English and Spanish versions. The files are
available in Word, HTML, and PDF (Adobe Acrobat) formats.

Feel free to print out these documents and reproduce them. The PDF files are the best suited for reproduction.

The Center for Health Care Strategies (CHCS), in Lawrenceville, NJ,
provided funding for "Making Sense of Managed Care Quality Information for Consumers with Special Needs." This project was made possible through a separate grant to CHCS by The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

Fact Sheet 1: How can this information help me? (¿Cómo puede ayudarme esta información?)

Fact Sheet 2: Understanding Quality Measures (Comprenda las Medidas de Evaluación de la Calidad)

Fact Sheet 3: Figuring Out Which Health Care Plan Meets Your Needs
(Determine qué Plan de Atención de Salud Responde a sus Necesidades)

Fact Sheet 4: Report Cards (Boletas de Calificaciones)

Fact Sheet 5: Consumer Surveys (Encuestas de Consumidores)

Michigan is currently switching its Medicaid system over to managed care. For more information on managed care and medicaid to managed care background please see the John Hopkins website.

A company called Maximus has been contracted by the Michigan Department of Community Health to enroll Medicaid participants in the new managed care system. The program operated by Maximus, called Michigan Enrolls, will assist individuals in making this transition.

If you need help with reading, writing, hearing, etc., under the Americans with Disabilities Act, you are invited to make your needs known to Michigan Enrolls.

Michigan Enrolls can:

  • Tell you which doctors, pharmacies and hospitals are part of each health plan.
  • Give you information to help you choose a primary provider.
  • Answer questions you may have about how to get medical services through your health plan.
  • And, enroll you in the health plan you choose.

If you are a medicaid client living in southeastern Michigan, you should have received the managed care health plan information.

If you have any questions, you may call Michigan Enrolls at:

1-888-ENROLLS (1-888-367-6557 or

TTY: 1-888-263-5897. This call is free.

Most people who get Medicaid must choose a health plan. If you do not choose a plan, Michigan Enrolls will choose one for you.

There are five ways to enroll in a health plan:

1. Call: Michigan Enrolls at one of the above numbers.

2. Mail: The enrollment form that has been/will be sent to you.

3. Go to a community meeting.

4. Visit an enrollment office.

5. Ask for a home visit, if it is difficult for you to leave your home.

 

Medicare

Medicare Savings for Qualified Beneficiaries
Help with Paying Medicare Premiums, Deductibles and Co-Insurances for 2009
 

Feds allow Medicare participants to access records on line.
  • View claim status (excluding Part D claims),
  • Order a duplicate Medicare Summary Notice (MSN) or replacement Medicare card,
  • View eligibility, entitlement and preventive services information,
  • View enrollment information including prescription drug plans,
  • View or modify your drug list and pharmacy information,
  • View address of record with Medicare and Part B deductible status, and
  • Access online forms, publications and messages sent to you by CMS.

 
http://www.mymedicare.gov/

 

Mental health



Winter 2007 Issue of "Mental Health AIDS" Includes Tool Box on Posttraumatic Growth of HIV Infected Individuals

Biopsychosocial therapy involves assessing an individual patient's biological, psychological, and social condition to help determine treatment. Mental Health AIDS is a quarterly biopsychosocial research update on HIV and mental health sponsored by the Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS) of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). This publication is provided free of charge through the SAMHSA Web site in both PDF and HTML formats.

The Winter 2007 issue features the From Surviving to Thriving: HIV-Associated Posttraumatic Growth tool box, which summarizes recent research on posttraumatic growth (PTG) and HIV. Emotional trauma related to HIV infection, including depression, anxiety, fear, helplessness, and guilt, may lead to positive changes in relationship and life priorities, health behaviors, and outlook on life in some individuals with HIV infection (and in some cases, their caregivers). The toolbox includes suggestions for clinicians on how to incorporate principles of PTG into psychotherapy treatment for trauma survivors. AIDSinfo At-a-Glance: Volume Issue No. 52
 

 

Nutrition and HIV

AIDS Education and Training Center’s Health Care and HIV: Nutritional Guide for Providers and Clients

ABCNews.com/Healthology Press (12.14.01)::Meredith Liss, MA, RD,
CDN, New York Presbyterian Hospital, Weill Cornell
     Use of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) to treat
HIV disease has improved immune status for those people who have
access to the drugs and can tolerate them. However, maintaining a
good physical appearance and overall health continue to be
significant concerns for most patients.
     People with HIV must contend with body composition changes
that include wasting syndrome and fat redistribution syndrome as
well as metabolic changes such as elevated levels of cholesterol,
triglycerides and blood sugars. While many of these conditions
require medication, developing a healthy diet and exercise
program can make a great difference in longevity and the quality
of life.
     Good nutrition should be taken seriously as co-therapy for
HIV. Diet recommendations include a high protein diet to fight
wasting syndrome; a heart healthy, low saturated fat diet to keep
cholesterol levels within proper limits; and a diet high in whole
grains and low in sugar to maintain adequate blood sugar and
triglyceride levels. Also included should be 1-2 multi-vitamins
with minerals to insure that micronutrient needs are met...
    
     To reduce cholesterol levels, decrease intake of foods high
in saturated fat like red meat, poultry skin, whole and 2 percent
milk, cheese, butter, coconut and palm oils.
     One of the causes of weight loss in HIV infection is not
being able to eat enough calories. You may find that you get
hungry and when you sit down to eat, you become full too fast.
There are some medical causes of early fullness but a pattern of
small, frequent meals of six or more a day will probably help a
great deal. Also, high calorie, high protein shakes of ice cream,
yogurt, milk, fruits, peanut butter, wheat germ and fruit nectars
or canned supplements that can be purchased at local drug stores
and supermarkets are highly recommended as meal alternatives.
     Exercise is safe and does not weaken the immune system. It
is important to prevent or fight the loss of muscle mass and to
offset the effects of the fat redistribution syndrome.

 

Nursing Homes

HHS Web Site Allows Consumers To Compare Nation's 17,000 Nursing Homes

http://www.kaisernetwork.org/daily_reports/rep_index.cfm?DR_ID=14570

 

Patient Advocacy

Deciphering Medical Terminology


Sometimes HIV specialists, HIV caseworkers -- even some HIVers --
talk about the virus with words that seem impossible to understand:
"pharmacokinetics," "co-formulation," "sequencing." Here's a list of
some of the most often-used HIV-related terms and their definitions.
http://www.thebody.com/pw/glossary.html

Guide to Side Effects

Drugs used to treat HIV and AIDS can be a double-edged sword. While they may do a good job of controlling HIV and treating AIDS-related diseases, they are also associated with problems of their own: side effects.

Community Research Initiative on AIDS has put together a handy little booklet on side effects and how to make sense of standard treatments and complementary therapies to manage them.

www.thebody.com/cria/sideeffects/contents.html

"Fight AIDS at Home," www.fightaidsathome.or

uses existing connections on the 
Internet to link personal computers to a network that compares anti-AIDS drugs against genetic variations to find the best one. Downloadable software from Entropia allows personal computers to help evaluate AIDS drugs. The software, called AutoDock, runs when the computer is not processing other data. Users should be aware of their privacy needs and research the project before taking part.

New List Serve

There is a new list serve available for Case Managers, Social Workers, Nurse Managers, Dieticians, Nutrition Managers, and other related fields.    The same
staff that is overseeing the HIV-Doc and HIV-Law list will also take on
this list. The list manager is ezmlmis.  

The email address is socwkr@lists.boygeniuse.com
To subscribe send an EMPTY email message to:
socwkr-subscribe@lists.boygenius.com
You will get a response message that you have to reply to, and you will be all set.

NEW PATIENT PROTECTIONS IN MEDICAID MANAGED CARE RULE   

HCFA reports those enrolled in Medicaid managed care plans will have greater patient protections under new regulations published in the January 19, 2001 Federal Register (Volume 66, Number 13, Pages 6227-6426)
http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2001pres/20010118.html

Social Security Cost-of-Living Raises

Cost-of-living adjustments for 2001 announced by Social Security; for the details: www.thebody.com/apla/jan01/cola.html

The new poverty levels for 2001 have just been announced

These are used for eligibility for the Medicaid, CHIP, WIC, food stamp,
school lunch and the programs which pay Medicare premiums for those who are
slightly "too rich" for Medicaid (QMB, SLMB, QI [I], QI [II] and QDWI), as
well as a host of other state-run programs.

For the 48 states and DC, the one person level is $8590 ($715.83 monthly);
add $3020 yearly ($251.66 monthly) for each additional family member.

 

Patient's HIPAA Privacy Notice

Since HIPAA took effect on April 14, 2003, each of your health care providers (including dentists) should have provided you with a Privacy Notice. If you read it, you would discover the ways that the HCP will "use" your protected health information WITHOUT asking your permission.  More on this subject.


Physician's Desk Reference (PDR)

This resource has "information on every conceivable medication, and the search engine on this site will return results that are even just close to what you've entered. That means that if you have the spelling remotely close, you can probably find what you need.

Use this, for instance, to double-check the spelling and purpose of medications when filling out a Social Security disability application.."


http://www.healthsquare.com/drugmain.htm


Kendra S. Kleber, JD
President, Director of Legal Services
Michigan Advocates Exchange, Inc.
 

 

Project H.O.P.E.


DETROIT - POWER OF WORK SUPPORT GROUP. The Power of Work (POW) Support Group continues to meet every other Thursday at Goodwill Industries, 3111 Grand River, Detroit, MI from 5:30pm-7:30pm. This group’s focus is to learn to live again with HIV/AIDS while exploring options of returning to work, school or training. Participants are asked to bring a dish to share with the group. For more information, contact Rick Jones at 313-964-3900 ext. 423. Project HOPE (HIV Opportunities for Pursuing Employment) has partnered with Goodwill Industries of Greater Detroit. They have hired a full time Vocational Services Coordinator and are in the process of applying for new grants to help with the return to work issues for people living with HIV.

For more information or to find out how returning to work will affect your benefits, call Ken Pape at the Family Independence Agency, (313) 456-1678, to schedule an appointment for benefits counseling.

 

Return to Work Incentive

Biggest change in HIV benefits since passage of the Ryan White Act in 1990.

The Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Improvement Act of 1999 has numerous, complex provisions affecting SSDI, SSI, Medicare, Medicaid, return-to-work and vocational rehabilitation services for disabled persons. It offers states a set of interrelated options for enhanced Medicaid coverage of disabled persons who work. It limits---but does not fully eliminate---the threat of being found "no longer disabled" for those patients in remission who are work ready or are already actually working. AIDS agencies and even businesses can now get federal funding for return-to-work, benefits counseling and vocational rehabilitation services. Click here for the full article by Tom Mcormick

ON SOCIAL SECURITY

If you are on disability and considering starting a business or working on your own, you should know that Social Security's regulations favor self-employment. Learn the details from AIDS Project Los Angeles.

www.thebody.com/apla/nov00/work.html

TUITION FOR DISABLED

Tuition tips for the disabled: A crash course in scoring financial aid for college while you are on disability.

www.thebody.com/apla/nov00/benefits.html

 

 

Social Security Benefits On-line

Another Guide to Social Security Benefits for People Living with HIV/AIDS

Per Kendra Kleber: A new document from the Social Security Administration (SSA), "Social Security Benefits for People Living with HIV/AIDS," describes how people living with HIV/AIDS can apply for benefits under two SSA programs: Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI).
The document covers: eligibility for benefits; disability definitions; how to file for benefits; questions asked during the eligibility process; how eligibility determinations are made; how to expedite processing of claims; and what happens if recipients return to work. This new document replaces another SSA publication geared toward PLWH, "A Guide to Social Security and SSI Disability Benefits for People with HIV Infection," which has been discontinued and is no longer available.

To view the document go to: http://www.ssa.gov/pubs/10019.pdf .
A Better Guide to HIV/AIDS-Related Social Security Benefits

According to Kendra S. Kleber JD, of the law office of Kendra S. Kleber & Associates, the Social Security Administration is currently revising the rules used to evaluate disability benefits claims based on HIV/AIDS. The rules have been in place since 1995, but will soon incorporate clearer guidance about the impact of many manifestations of HIV infection that were not known before HAART.

The guidebook "Social Security Secrets," written by Kleber for people disabled by HIV/AIDS and originally made available by Michigan Advocates Exchange (MAX), explains the disability benefits programs and strategies for supporting a benefits claim. The book is available at www.positiveoutlook.org .
 

Guide to HIV/AIDS-Related Social Security Benefits Now Available
View Social Security Administration Publications online at http://www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs/englist.html

Did you know people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWH/A) can qualify for certain disability benefits from the Social Security Administration (SSA)? If not, then you need to read the SSA publication, Social Security Benefits for People Living with HIV/AIDS. The booklet describes how PLWH/A can apply for benefits under two SSA programs: Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI), and covers the following topics:

Benefits You May Be Able to Get; What We Mean by Disabled; How to File for Benefits; What We Will Ask; How We Make a Decision on Your Claim; How You Can Help Speed up Your Claim; What We Are Doing to Help You Get Benefits Faster; What Will Happen If You Go Back to Work

 

Documentation for Benefits

There are a few documents that people absolutely need to have at some point in their lives -- a birth certificate may be the best example, but marriage or death certificates, and perhaps a divorce decree, could be other essential documents. The fact is that in order to apply for Social Security benefits (and for a number of other reasons) you will probably need at least one of these documents, either the original or a copy certified by the state that issued it. Figuring out where to go to find the certified copies you need could be confusing -- until now. With this online resource you can find the addresses and phone numbers of the issuing offices as well as the fees for the documents you need. So even a person born in Alabama, married n California, divorced in Utah and retired in Florida can find everything he or she needs at the link below.
http://www.socialsecurity.gov/vitalstats.html

 

Treatment Guidelines

National Treatment Guidelines
http://www.aidsinfo.nih.gov

Also AmFar Treatment Directory


Guides to Side-Effects

The National Minority AIDS Council NMAC has published the Patient's Guide to HIV Medicines and Guidelines for Their Use, a pamphlet meant to make topics such as HIV/AIDS and combination therapy more understandable to non-medical persons.

Also, see AIDSmeds.com's Currently Approved Drugs for HIV: A Comparative Chart http://www.aidsmeds.com/lessons/DrugChart.htm

Community Research Initiative on AIDS has put together a handy little booklet on side effects and how to make sense of standard treatments and complementary therapies to manage them. www.thebody.com/cria/sideeffects/contents.html

 

Report Health Rumors to the CDC

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has developed 
a Web site, www.cdc.gov/hoax_rumors.htm, to dispel concerns 
about new diseases or drug safety scares that travel the 
Internet. Mostly spread by concerned people who pass e-mail 
messages about health issues to their friends, the good 
intentions of Web users have a tendency to create an "urban 
legend," or completely false safety scare. They range from 
non-existent food contamination to date-rape drugs that exist 
only in the mind of the message creator, or HIV-infected needles 
stuck into movie theater seats. After receiving 250 phone calls 
and 500 e-mails per week for just one hoax, the CDC opted to 
create its informational Web site to combat the myths. According
to CDC spokesman Tom Skinner, "So many of the hoaxes used the CDC
as a supporting voice of authority in their messages, so we 
decided to make a formal response."

 

User Friendly Manual for PWAs

The highly regarded USER FRIENDLY MANUAL for people living with
HIV/AIDS has been updated. This is the indispensable handbook for
PWA/Hs, their friends & care providers. PWH/A Reference Guide
Copies of the PWH/A Reference Guide are now available on CD-ROM. CD’s may be picked up at the MAPP office at 429 Livernois, Ferndale, MI during normal business hours.
 

  • Medical & Health Information
  • Basic Needs (Food, Housing, Employments
  • Benefits (Social Security, Medical Insurance, Legal)
  • Counseling & Support Services
  • Internet Resources & much more . . .


The USER FRIENDLY MANUAL is also a directory of addresses & phone
numbers to many metropolitan Detroit area organizations of HIV/AIDS
services.

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