HIV Tests For All!
Published by McBoing May 9th, 2006 in Edumakashun, HealthFederal health officials say they would like HIV testing to be as common as a cholesterol check.
The guidelines for routine testing would apply to every American ages 13 to 64, according to the proposed plan by the U.S. Centers for Disease control and Prevention.
One-quarter of the 1 million Americans with the AIDS virus don’t know they are infected, and that group is most responsible for HIV’s spread, CDC officials said.
I can’t believe the CDC is on this. How many days before the Bush administration delivers the “Just Kidding!” address?
The recommendations are not legally binding, but they influence what doctors do and what health insurance programs cover.
Currently, the CDC recommends routine testing for those at high-risk for catching the virus, such as IV drug users and gay men, and for hospitals and certain other institutions serving areas where HIV is common. It also recommends testing for all pregnant women.
Under the new guidelines, patients would be tested for HIV as part of a standard battery of tests they receive when they go for urgent or emergency care, or even during a routine physical.
Dan Savage details why this is so fucking cool and necessary, while I ponder which insurance companies are drafting protocol to dump people who test postive.
while I ponder which insurance companies are drafting protocol to dump people who test postive.
That right there is why I have to disagree with Dan Savage. This sounds like a terrible idea.
It’d be a great idea if we didn’t live in corporatist hell, but we do.