The Cost of an Annual HIV Test
As part of the expansion of Medicare, the cost of an annual test for HIV will be covered for all Medicare beneficiaries who request a test. Coverage is effective immediately. The exact wording of the decision indicates that an annual test for HIV will be covered by the following persons, persons at risk for HIV
* Men who have sex with men after 1975
* Men and women have unprotected sex with multiple [more] Partners
* Users of intravenous drugs, past or present
* Men and women who have sex cons of money or drugs or have sex partners who do
* Individuals whose past or present sex partners were HIV infected, bisexual or users of intravenous drugs
* The people treated for sexually transmitted diseases
* People with a history of blood transfusion between 1978 and 1985
* Those who seek an HIV test despite reporting no individual risk factors, since this group may include people who do not wish to disclose high risk behaviors;
* Voluntary HIV testing of pregnant Medicare beneficiaries when you know the diagnosis of pregnancy during the third quarter and at work.
Kathleen Sebelius, Secretary of Health and Human Services calls the decision a landmark that helps keep people with Medicare and health insurance will have a more active role in evaluating the evidence for prevention services