"A@ = THURSDAY. DECEMBER 7. 1989

Panel Assails AIDS Health Care System

 

By MARLENE CIMONS
TIMES STAFF WRITER

WASHINGTON—The Natonai
Commussion on AIDS, descnbing
the nauon's heaith care system as
“singulariy unresponsive’ .to the
needs of persons infectea with the
human immunodeficiency virus.
called on the Bush Admimstration
Wednesaay to take a series of steps’
to “begin solving the probiems of
heaith care delivery” to these indi-
viduals.

“Recent years have seen consid-
erable advances in the deveiop-
ment of new HIV-related drugs

.. but scienufic breakthroughs
mean little uniess the health care
system can incorporate them and
make them accessible to peopie in
need.” the commussion wrote. re-
leasing tts first report to the White
House.

The commusnon, an indepenaent
panel made up of members ap-
pointed by Congress and the White
House. was created by Congress to
advise Congress and the Prendent
on the deyeiopment of a “nauonai

he aS” concermng

The m is not
tosend a ‘to the White House
until August, but it said in a letter
to Prendent Bush that the infor-
matuon it has gathered regarding
health care and financing “was so
compelling we felt it 1s vital to
write to you now” There are
expected to be further reports as
the commussion continues its work.

The commussion urged that. first
of all. the Admunistration recognize
“that a cmsis situauon exists in
many cities that wiil require extra-
ordinary measures to overcome.

“There is a dangerous. perhaps
even growing, compiacency in aur
country toward an epiaemic that
many peopie want to believe is
over,” the panel said.

The AIDS epidemic. the commis-
non said. ‘is not ust a New York
City or San Francisco probiem as
some would like to beheve.” By
1991, it said. an estuumated 80% of
new cases of AIDS will occur
outexigethose two cues. More than
1 millon peopie are estimated to be
infected with the virus.

The commussion said that several

factors have contributed to the
rARDS eaith care probiems in this
country, including tow re:mburse-
ment rates under Medicaid and
‘¥Yarlauons among states in Medi-
caid eligibility.

The commusmon recommended

that a comprehensive system be
established that would coordinate

 

 

hospital. ambulatory. residential
and home care. -care pny-
sitlans, the commussion said, “must
be central” to such a system. The
commission also said that compre-
hensive heaith care services
shoutd be provided “under one
roof.” adding: ‘Fragmented ser-
vices create additional barners to
needed heaith care.”

Further. the panei suggested the

possible creauon ot regional cen-
ters to treat tne HIV-retated ais- .

ease, modeied after a simuar pro-
gram for hemoonilia. The centers
would proviae backup ana consul-
lauon services for tne pmmarv-
care physicians.

The panei also recommenaed
that units be createa to treat
patients who have poth HIV injec-
uon and drug addiction.

ios Anacles Cimes