Medicaid: Vice President Gore Supports Early Treatment

On April 9 Vice President Al Gore announced his support for a proposal by the AIDS Action Council to allow Medicaid to cover early HIV treatment, for persons who are eligible for Medicaid under existing financial criteria.

Currently, persons with HIV who meet Medicaid's income and property limits usually also need to be judged disabled before they are eligible for treatment. This is contrary to modern medical practice, because antiretrovirals work best when used long before major illness occurs. The proposed policy will save lives and prevent disability, and it might also pay for the cost of the drugs by avoiding unnecessary hospitalization and long-term care for advanced illness.