Starting Tomorrow-FEB 1st: Medicaid cuts for HIV/AIDS patients...
By: Alese Underwood
Updated: January 31, 2013
For people living with HIV/AIDS in Louisiana, there hasn't been pure tax dollars spent on prevention or services.
"The state is cutting what is left, case management for Medicaid patients. We're basically looking at trying to balance the budget on the backs of the poor and disabled in our state," Philadelphia Center Executive Director Brett Malone said.
Out of this Shreveport center's 454 clients with HIV/AIDS, 174 are on medicaid...about 38%.
Malone says very little information has been passed down to them, but the patients are asked to contact Bayou Health to see which of the five plans fits them best.
This means no more face to face contact at the center or home visits from case managers. No more food pantry access or transportation and housing assistance.
"I don't want to lose a lot of clients. It makes me sad. Thye'll get lost in the system if we can't reach them, some don't even have phones," case manager Latasha Dent said.
