Findings in Infectious Diseases and Conditions Reported from University of Virginia (Evidence from a Multistate Cohort: Enrollment in Affordable Care Act Qualified Health Plans’ Association with Viral Suppression)

2019 NOV 29 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Health Policy and Law Daily -- Fresh data on Infectious Diseases and Conditions are presented in a new report. According to news reporting from Charlottesville, United States, by NewsRx journalists, research stated, “Healthcare delivery changes associated with viral suppression (VS) could contribute to the United States’ ‘Ending the HIV Epidemic’ (EtHE) initiative. This study aims to determine whether Qualified Health Plans (QHPs) purchased by AIDS Drug Assistance Programs (ADAPs) are associated with VS for low-income people living with HIV (PLWH) across three states.”

The news correspondents obtained a quote from the research from the University of Virginia, “A multistate cohort of ADAP clients who were eligible for ADAP-funded QHPs were studied (2014-2015). A log-binomial model was used to estimate the association of demographics and healthcare delivery factors with QHP enrollment prevalence and one-year risk of VS. A number needed to treat/enroll (NNT) for one additional person to achieve viral suppression was calculated. Of the cohort (n=7776), 52% enrolled in QHPs. QHP enrollment in 2015 was associated with QHP coverage in 2014 (adjusted prevalence ratio [aPR] 3.28; 95% confidence interval 3.06-3.53) and engagement in care in 2014 (aPR 1.16; 1.04-1.28).PLWH who were engaged in care (n=4597) and had QHPs had a higher VS rate than those who received medications from Direct ADAP (86.0% vs. 80.2%). QHPs’ NNT for an additional person to achieve VS is 20 (14.1-34.5). Starting undetectable (adjusted risk ratio [aRR] 1.39; 1.28-1.52) and enrolling in QHPs in 2015 (aRR 1.06; 0.99-1.14) was associated with VS. Once enrolled in ADAP-funded QHPs, ADAP clients stay enrolled. Enrollment is associated with VS across states and demographic groups. ADAPs, especially in the South and in Medicaid non-expansion states, should consider investing in QHPs because increased enrollment could improve VS rates.”

According to the news reporters, the research concluded: “This evidence-based intervention could be a part of EtHE.”

For more information on this research see: Evidence from a Multistate Cohort: Enrollment in Affordable Care Act Qualified Health Plans’ Association with Viral Suppression. Clinical Infectious Diseases, 2019;():. Clinical Infectious Diseases can be contacted at: Univ Chicago Press, 1427 E 60TH St, Chicago, IL 60637-2954, USA. (Oxford University Press - http://www.oup.com/; Clinical Infectious Diseases - cid.oxfordjournals.org)

Our news journalists report that additional information may be obtained by contacting K.A. McManus, Division of Infectious Diseases and International Health, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, United States. Additional authors for this research include B. Christensen, V.P. Nagraj, R. Furl, L. Yerkes, S. Swindells, S. Weissman, A. Rhodes, P. Targonski, E.R. McQuade and R. Dillingham.

The direct object identifier (DOI) for that additional information is: https://doi.org/10.1093/cid/ciz1123. This DOI is a link to an online electronic document that is either free or for purchase, and can be your direct source for a journal article and its citation.

Publisher contact information for the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases is: Univ Chicago Press, 1427 E 60TH St, Chicago, IL 60637-2954, USA.

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