Coordinating Care for People With HIV Who Have Lower Incomes and Alternative Sources of Health Care Coverage

As people with HIV increasingly access affordable health care coverage—enabling them to obtain medical care from private providers—understanding how they use the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program (RWHAP), and their unmet health care needs, can enhance their overall care. We analyzed RWHAP client-level data and interviewed staff and clients at 29 provider organizations to identify trends in health care coverage and service use for clients who received medical care from private providers. The RWHAP helps cover the cost of premiums and copays for these clients and provides medical and support services that help them stay engaged in care and virally suppressed. The RWHAP plays an important role in HIV care and treatment for clients with health care coverage. The growing number of people who receive a combination of services from RWHAP providers and private providers offers opportunities for greater care coordination through communication and data sharing between these settings.