| SNiP Tips
Acknowledgements and Foreword
Acknowledgements
The SNiP Tips are the result of a year's work to make Medicaid managed care work
better for people living with HIV/AIDS by ensuring that the community has a voice in
the implementation of the HIV Special Needs Plans (HIV SNPs). These efforts were made
possible by the generous financial support of the New York City AIDS Fund.
Ronald Johnson, Gay Men's Health Crisis's Associate Executive Director, directs all
the work of the Public Policy Department. GMHC's Director of Health Policy, Susan Dooha,
was responsible for oversight and completion of the project, and synthesis and
presentation of policy recommendations. David Wunsch, Assistant Director of Health Policy
at GMHC, was responsible for research and preparation of products.
There are a number of individuals that GMHC would like to thank for their contributions
to the SNiP Tips.Naomi Seiller, a GMHC intern during the Summer of 2001, made a Herculean
effort to provide us with an initial draft. Howard Schwartz, Coordinator of Managed Care
Advocacy at GMHC, on more than one occasion, cast his critical eye over early versions and
improved it significantly. Kirsten Aspengren of Care for the Homeless analyzed the SNiP
Tips content for accessibility to a wide audience. Elisabeth Benjamin of the Legal Aid
Society, Anita Marton of the Legal Action Center, and Mark Scherzer, an attorney in
private practice, deserve special recognition for the expertise they brought to the project.
Finally, New York State AIDS Institute staff offered invaluable assistance to us in preparing
the SNiP Tips. GMHC is responsible for the accuracy of all information presented in the
SNiP Tips.
Foreword
Why develop SNiP Tips?
In New York State, Medicaid for people living with HIV/AIDS is changing. In April 2003,
the New York State Department of Health began enrolling HIV-positive Medicaid beneficiaries
into HIV Special Needs Plans, or HIV SNPs. Thousands of individuals are now making a very
serious decision about whether to enroll in an HIV SNP, or to stay in the Medicaid
fee-for-service program or a mainstream health plan.
Gay Men's Health Crisis (GMHC) is offering the SNiP Tips as a tool to assist Medicaid
beneficiaries who are deciding whether or not to join an HIV SNP, and to help them get care
if they do join. The SNiP Tips are an advocacy tool that will be placed in the hands of
people living with HIV/AIDS and their advocates that will enable them to maximize the
promise of managed care. Our goal is simply to make New York State's Medicaid managed care
program work better for individuals living with HIV/AIDS.
How can you use the SNiP Tips?
The SNiP Tips are intended to empower Medicaid beneficiaries living with HIV/AIDS to
take charge of their health care. One way to get this information into the hands of
beneficiaries is by educating the frontline workers who are assisting individuals living
with HIV/AIDS. Therefore, case managers, benefits counselors, and other client advocates
are target audiences for the SNiP Tips. Others will also find the SNiP Tips informative
and useful, including policy makers, researchers, health plans and providers, funders,
and members of the media.
The SNiP Tips cover a wide range of topics, including eligibility for the HIV SNPs,
the ins and outs of the enrollment process, what to think about before choosing a plan,
benefits available from the HIV SNPs, getting help from member services, and
problem-solving. SNiP Tips answer basic questions like: Who can enroll in an HIV SNP
and who cannot? If my client joins a SNP, can she disenroll if she is not satisfied,
or does she have to stay in? Can I keep seeing my same doctor if I join an HIV SNP?
By knowing the answers to these questions, people living with HIV/AIDS will be able
to make informed choices about joining a SNP.
While we believe the SNiP Tips are comprehensive, undoubtedly many questions remain
unanswered. If there is a question not answered, please call GMHC's Managed Care
Consumer Assistance Program at 212/367-1125; TTY: 212/367-1199. Words in the glossary
(Appendix I) are bolded the first time they are used. If you come across an unfamiliar
term, more than likely you can find a definition of it in the glossary. Helpful phone
numbers and names of all the HIV SNPs are listed in the resources section (Appendix II).
Use Appendices III-VI for maximum time frames for appointment availability, a list of
who can and cannot enroll in the HIV SNPs, services that should be coordinated by the
HIV SNPs, and information about accessing mental health and substance abuse services.
Finally, the SNiP Tips are a snap-shot of the HIV SNPs at a point in time. GMHC
expects that New York State's HIV SNPs program will be improved over the coming months
and years to better meet the needs of people living with HIV/AIDS. Look forward to
updates from GMHC about changes in the program.
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