HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 12031985 - X.16 THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA
Adopted this Order on December 3, 19 85 _ , , by the following vote:
AYES: Supervisor Powers , Schroder, McPeak, Torlakson and Fanden
NOES: None
ABSENT: None
ABSTAIN:None
SUBJECT: PROPOSAL FOR A REGIONAL AIDS
EDUCATION PROGRAM
On recommendation of Supervisor Fanden, IT IS BY THE BOARD
ORDERED that the proposal from the Association of Bay Area Governments
for a Regional AIDS Education Program is REFERRED to the County
Administrator.
I hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy of
an action taken and entered on the minutes of the
Board of Supervisors on the date shown.
ATTESTED: December 3 _1985
PMtt. BATCHELOR, Clerk of the Board
of Supervisors and County Administrator
ID
By , Deputy
Orig. Dept.
cc: Supervisor Fanden
County Administrator
MetroCenMailing Address:
Eighth& Oak Streets P.O. Box 2050
OABAGI� I 1110 Oakland Oakland, CA 94604
(415)464-7900
27 November 1985
TO: Chair, County Board of Supervisors
FM: Supervisor Dianne McKenna, President
o&�X
RE: PROPOSAL FOR REGIONAL AIDS EDUCATION PROGRAM
At the September 10 Executive Board meeting, Alameda County Supervisor
Robert Knox proposed that ABAG explore undertaking a regional effort to
educate the public about AIDS (Attachment I). Staff was instructed to
survey what work was ongoing at the state and local levels and to
investigate potential funding sources. Last week, ABAG's Legislative &
Governmental Organization and Administrative Committees, as well as the
Executive Board, met to review staff's recommendations. Attachment II is
the staff report, and includes the unanimous action taken by the Executive
Board to initiate a regional AIDS education and coordination program.
Please note in particular item 2 of the recommended action, which calls for
the counties to contribute a total of $50,000 in seed money. Staff was
asked to devise a simple, population- and problem-related formula for
raising the initial $50,000. The allocation is presented below:
Individual County Bay Area
Contribution Counties
$10 ,000 Alameda, San Francisco, Santa Clara
5 ,000 Contra Costa, San Mateo
2,500 Marin, Napa, Solano, Sonoma
AIDS is an insidious, life threatening disease that's costing each of us a
considerable sum of money. The ABAG Program is not intended to
duplicate or supplant any existing efforts. Rather, it is designed to
provide coordination at a regional level to ensure our county dollars are
being expended wisely and in a cost-effective manner. ABAG staff has been
directed to seek additional state and foundation grants to continue this
program. I would request that you bring this matter before your Board at
the earliest convenient time for discussion and hopefully, positive
support.
Lastly, I have enclosed an article on AIDS from the insurance industry's
perspective (Attachment III). The average health care cost for an AIDS
victim is estimated at $140,000! The severe cost in human life and the
cost of medical treatment in county hospitals are enormous. We must better
educate the public. If the proposed ABAG education program resulted in
only 1 person not contracting AIDS and being treated in our hospitals, our
program will have paid for itself several times over. Again, I urge your
support and that of your colleagues in this very critical matter.
P.S. I am very pleased to learn that yesterday Alameda County appropriated
our first $10,000.
cc: Executive Board
ATTACHMENT Y
f, F
BOARD O F SUPERVISORS
ROBERT.G_KNOX
SUPERVISOR.FOURTH DISTRICTL August 2 8 , 1985
Hon. Dianne McKenna , Chairperson
Association of Bay Area
Governments
County Administration Bldg. , 10th Floor
70 West Hedding Street
San Jose, CA 95110
Dear Supervisor McKenna :
By receipt of this letter , I am requesting that ABAG begin to explore
a regionwide effort to educate the public about AIDS. Until as
recently as 1984 , AIDS was thought of as a disease associated
primarily with the homosexual community. However , studies have
indicated that the general population is clearly at risk, and as of
this date, the only viable way to prevent the spread of this disease
is through public education.
Each County in the Bay Area could conceivably begin its own public
awareness program, yet I believe this would not be the best use of our
financial resources . If a regional association such as ABAG could
coordinate an effort of all counties, we could defray the costs of
such an effort, as well as better educate the public as a whole .
I am requesting that this item be placed on the agenda of the ABAG
Executive Committee for the September 19th meeting. I will be
prepared at that time to expand upon some ideas I have on how we as a
Bay Area group can better utilize resources to educate the public
about this critical public health problem.
Si e ly,
RGK:CB:gjc
cc: /Ir . Revan Tranter
SEP 3 1985
` Executive Director's O icQ
ABA('-
1221 OAK STREET 0 SUITE 536 OAKLAND.CALIFORNIA 94612 0 (415)674-7685
• &TTACHMENT II
DT: November 14, 1985
Revised November 26 , 1985
TO: ABAG Administrative Committee
FM: Eugene Leong, Deputy Executive Director t%{�
RE: Regional AIDS Education and Coordination Program
[Note: This memorandum to ABAG's Administrative Committee reflects the
actions of the Committee on November 21, and the Executive Board's
concurrence in the recommended actions, as set forth on Page 4.]
At, the September 10, 1985 Executive Board meeting there was a discussion of
Supervisor Knox's letter to President McKenna proposing that ABAG explore a
regional effort to educate the public about AIDS. As a result, the staff
was directed to pursue potential funding sources and begin an examination
of the parameters of a regional program.
Potential Funding Sources
We conducted a limited canvassing of the nine Bay Area counties regarding
funding, and several,'expressed a willingness to contribute toward a
regional AIDS education program. A financial commitment from each county
should be considered a crucial element in developing a successful regional
program. One barrier to such a program is that--to this point-- San
Francisco has carried the burden of educating the public about AIDS. Now
that it has become obvious that no county is immune to a potential AIDS
epidemic, there needs to be cooperation from each and every county, and the
other counties need to recognize San Francisco's experience in designing a
regional program.
Several foundations were contacted regarding the possibility of awarding
funds to match county contributions. Without more specifics about a work
program, it was difficult for them to respond. However, it was suggested
that a foundation might be willing to fund a one shot regional planning,
"think-tank" type meeting that would outline future priorities.
Apparently, the San Francisco Foundation has begun discussing regional
funding for AIDS. We do not have many details at this time.
State and Federal funds are available but the prospect of obtaining them in
a timely manner seems to be more of a long shot. The AIDS section of the
State Department of Health Services is presently preparing a comprehensive
statewide AIDS education plan, which should be available by December. At
that time State funding priorities will no doubt be addressed.
Potential Regional Programs
AIDS education is already taking place in the Bay Area. The staff
contacted numerous programs providing AIDS education services, including
State DHS, county public health departments and organizations such as the
San Francisco AIDS Foundation. The issue of AIDS education is extremely
complex because all the citizens in a geographical area must be considered
in an education campaign--and each group has t'o be addressed in a different
way. An approach for the general public could be a media campaign with a
broad message providing the basic facts about what AIDS is and is not and
how its spread can be prevented. The school age population is another
general group for which materials need to be developed.
4L
More specific training is required for health care professionals and safety
personnel. This includes health department personnel, nurses, doctors,
firemen. One issue to consider is how to provide services to people
working with AIDS patients so that they don't burn out. In developing
educational planning for high risk groups, the emphasis might be aimed at
providing ways of encouraging life style changes rather than imparting
information about AIDS.
While it is clear that much activity to educate the' public about AIDS is
taking place, it is also clear that more concerted efforts at the regional
level would be desirable. A conceivable role for ABAG might be as a
coordinator or facilitator for people to exchange information and share
experiences. There should be a regional needs assessment to determine what
kinds of services are available, where "reinventing the wheel" can be
avoided (such as the development of school curriculum) and where the gaps
exist. ABAG might also act as a clearinghouse, although other
organizations already view themselves as fulfilling that role. It would be
beneficial to convene a meeting or meetings of representatives of the nine
Bay Area county health departments, representatives from programs that have
state contracts, representatives from community-based groups,
representatives from county hospitals, HMO education departments and home
health care programs, and representatives from some of the larger school
districts. A useful model might be -ABAGs Hypertension Control Program,
where ABAG serves as a- clearinghouse and coordinator of the local and
county hypertension control efforts. Three things should be kept in mind:
(a) for a regional program to prove successful, all the counties must make
a serious commitment, (b) several of the community-based, programs have been
functioning on a regional level and should be consulted, and (c) the
barrier of San Francisco vs. the other counties should be addressed.
AIDS Technical Advisory Committee
Staff also talked to a number of health professionals regarding
participation in an ABAG AIDS Technical Advisory Committee. The best
option appears to be to use an existing, informal group of county health
officials involved in control of communicable diseases. This group was
organized by Dr. Robert Benjamin (who also serves as the chair), and is
known as the "Bay Area CD Exchange," where CD stands for communicable
disease. Although this group deals with other health issues besides AIDS,
Dr. Benjamin says that AIDS-related issues consume 90 percent of the
groups' discussions. This group has discussed serving as ABAG's Technical
Advisory Committee on AIDS and agreed to do so. They meet approximately
once a month.
Recommended Action
The Executive Board on November 21 directed the ABAG staff to:
1) Request policy level commitments from the nine counties for
participation in a regional AIDS education and coordination program.
A.
2) Seek financial participation from the nine counties for $50,000, with
the amount to be roughly based on population.
3) Seek matching Federal, State, or private foundation support to match
local contributions.
4) Develop a work program to specify tasks and coordination activities to
be undertaken by ABAG to complement other AIDS efforts.
5) Report to the Executive Board in early 1986 on all of the above.
In addition, the staff was directed to express ABAG's concern about the
slow distribution of available State funds to the counties.
—3—
380 1 (Vol.'2) OTACHMENT III
YFOCUS ON . . .
AIDS: THE INSURANCE COMPANY RESPONSE
This "Focus On . i-.- report is based on interviews with insurers, health experts, and interest groups.
They were asked what insurance companies are doing to deal with the costly disease known as AIDS.
Their response: Most insurers are covering AIDS like any other disease, but they want to administer tests
detecting exposure to the AIDS virus. A future article will reflect the views of employers.
A decade ago, no one had ever heard bans insurance companies from using the prevalence of the AIDS virus; they found
of AIDS (acquired immune deficiency test results in making policy coverage de- cases dating back to 1979. As of Oct. 21,
syndrome), but todav the word is a com- cisions. A bill the insurance industry lob- 1985, 14,288 people had been identified
morilflace term for a frightening disease bied for, and which was awaiting the with AIDS and 7,255 of them had died,
for which there is as vet no cure. Wisconsin governors approval as of Oct. according to Charles Fallis, public affairs
Nov.- employers and insurers are grap- .30, would allow insurers to use the blood specialist, with CDC. He added that by
pling -Nith how to best address benefit tests in writing individual policies if the this time next year, "we'll see a doubling
claims coming in from AIDS victims, state insurance commissioner and state trend,- with 28,000 cases identified.
N%hose medical costs can range from epidemiologist certify the tests are medi- CDC reported that 11 cases were iden-
$40.000 to $140,000 and who are eligible
for life insurance and disability payments. Clifford: The 14.288 diagnosed AIDS cases, multiplied by the aver-
Employers and insurers generally feel age health care costs of 8140,000 per victim, come to a "whopping big
that empiovees infected with AIDS should
be covered under group health insurance. figure. If current trends continue, we're talking about staggering costs
and group life insurance plans the same as to the insurance industry.
for anv other illness or disease. There is a
difference in opinion, however, when it
comes to preventing future coverage or
buying additional coverage. cally significant and reliable; and tified in 1979, 47 in 1980. 260 in 1981,
Insurers feel that thev should be al. a Florida has a law similar to the one in 990 in 1982. 2,711 in 1983, 5,294 in 1984,
lowed to administer special blood tests Wisconsin, but it covers only state and and 5,072 so far in 1985.
that can detect exposure to the HTLV-111 local employees, not those in the private In a copyrighted article in the Oct. 24
antibody and to use the results of these sector. issue of the Wall Street Journal by Terry
AIDS tests in underwriting individual In addition, Los Angeles Mayor Tom Krieger and Dr. Cesar A. Caceres, the
health and life insurance policies, even Bradley has approved a city ordinance authors noted, however, that the year-to-
though the test is not always accurate. making it illegal to discriminate against vear rate of increase in new AIDS diag-
Individual Policies Targeted victims of AIDS. noses has declined.
The federal Department of Health and The authors stated that between 1980
Nevertheless, insurance companies Human Services has funded extensive re- to 1981 there was a 449 percent increase
seem to agree that it would be impossible search on prevention and treatment, taken in identified cases, a 283 percent rise
to administer the test to employees under steps to ensure the safety of blood sup- between 1981-1982, 174 percent between
group plans, so they are focusing their plies, listed AIDS as a qualifying impair- 1982-1953, 94 percent between 1983-
Screening efforts on individual policy- ment for Social Securitv disability bene- 1984, and 50 percent between the first
holders to prevent future catastrophic lia- fits, and funded education programs for half of 1984 compared with the first half
bilities. Generaliv, it is not the large carri- the public and health care providers. of 1955. Krieger and Caceres maintained
ers that seek to use the testing, however- Rep. Ted Weiss (D-NY) has introduced that the number of new cases, instead of
Insurers' wishes to use the AIDS anti- in Congress a bill to expedite the two-year doubling or tripling every year, is nearing
body tests in underwriting are running waiting period for Medicare benefits to a stable level,
into roadblocks at the state level: .YIDS patients who already qualify for The overall death rate for those con-
# A California law maintains the confi- coverage because they are disabled under tracting AIDS is 51 percent, but becomes
dentiallb. of AIDS test results, prohibits Social Security, Other AIDS-related mea- 77 percent three years after diagnosis,
requiring AIDS tests unless individuals sures also have been introduced, and Rep. according to Dr. Ann Hardy, a CDC epi-
consent. and prohibits use of blood test Ilenry Waxman (D-Calif) is holding hear- demiologist. She said AIDS is considered
results in determining "insurability or ing
. s on the matter. an epidemic and scientists are working on
suitability for employment"; With all this attention to the matter. a variety of cures, "but it's too early to tell
• A Wisconsin law prohibits employers 4-WOly What is the extent of the problem? if any are promising.
from making submission to the AIDS anti- In the summer of 1981, the Centers for CDC believes 500,000 to I million peo-
bod% test a condition of emplevinent and 1)iwaw Control starting tracking the ple have been exposed to or infected with
Copyright C 1985 ay The Bureau of National Affairs,Inc.,Washington,D.C.20037
0747-9131!85/$0 �.,50
reprinted by permission from BenVits Today, Copyright 1985
by the Bureau of National Affairs, Inc. , Washington, D.C."
C
FOCUS'ON. :. • • (Vol. 2) 381
the virus. From 5 percent to 20 percent of "The difficulty arises v hen a person snouId [not) and cannot be fore-
the individuals who test positive on the with AIDS .vants to purchase additional CIOSed !r:•m relying on the test," Clifford
AIDS tests tELISA and Western-Blot tests) life or health insurance. If insurance corn- str,• ,riding that "to prohibit us from
for the HTLV-III antibody will develop panies cant ask the appropriate questions usi,,, test results in an inability to
the disease. Fallis added. The incubation or demand appropriate tests, then the in- pr,,,, < our policyholders at large."
period for the disease is anywhere from dividual can take advantage of the corn- In ;uc rs generally want to apply the
six months to five years. pan} and obtain average rates for protec- test results in traditional underwriting of
The at-risk populations are as follows: tion against a risk that's far above individual policies, according to Clifford.
73 percent of AIDS cases are homosexual average," Briggs explained. Thev traditionally don't apply individual
or bisexual men, 17 percent intravenous He noted that some California gay underwriting principles to group policies,
drug users, 2 percent blood transfusion rights groups encourage AIDS patients to she said. noting that 85 percent of all
recipients, and 1 percent hemophiliacs. buy life insurance. "If we have no way of health insurance policies are for groups.
Fallis said the high-risk areas where rejecting them, then it would be intoler- Traditional underwriting principles are
most AIDS victims are concentrated are: able." Briggs said. "We couldn't afford to used in group policies only when it is a
•New York City, with 4,650 or 33 per- do it. Hypothetically, we could be forced "very, very small group, with 25-30 em-
cent of all AIDS cases; to deny insurance to everyone in ployees"or when an employee opts not to
•San Francisco, with 1,585 or 11 per- California." take the group policy and later decides to
cent of all cases; Briggs said he thought the insurance enter into the group plan, she said.
•Los Angeles, 1,196 cases or 8 percent: industry's position for normal benefits is For life insurance, she said, traditional
•Miami, 461 cases or 3 percent; and ..,e'd use normal underwriting rules. . underwriting principles are used in group
•Newark, N.J., 367 cases or 3 percent. Anyone actively at work gets group insur- plans when an employee wants to buy
The a%erage cost per case for hospital- ance." But the concern lies with individ- excess coverage beyond the group level.
ization alone is$140.000 per AIDS patient ual policies or individual purchase of ex-
and the average length of hospital stay is tra insurance and "there we'd want to Preserving Testing Privilege
31 days. although the total number of have protection to ask questions and ad-
The .American Council of Life Insur-
hospitalized days over an AIDS victim's minister tests" that can determine expo- ance recently issued a formal statement
lifetime is 167 days, Hardy said. sure to the AIDS virus, he said. on AIDS: •"Insurers must be mindful of
She noted that hospital expenditures for Clifford agreed: "Insured individuals the fiduciary responsibilities they have for
AIDS patients can be reduced through that have existing coverage would be cov- all policyholders and use the best knowl-
increased use of alternative health care, eyed for AIDS" as any other health prob- edge available in order to protect policy-
like home health care care, hospices, and lem is covered. holder interests. Insurance companies do
long-term care facilities. But the industry is adamant about seek to preserve the privilege of adminis-
w•anting to be able to use the results of the tering medical tests—including ones that
'Staggering Costs' AIDS blood tests in underwriting policies. detect antibodies to the AIDS virus—and
The 14.288 diagnosed AIDS cases, mul- The ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosor- using the results of such tests in the same
tiplied by the average health care costs of bent assay) test detects the presence of w,ay that then use other medical informa-
$140,000 per victim, come to a "whop- antibodies in blood to the AIDS HTLV-I11 tion which they may develop."
ping big figure," plus the costs of the virus. From 5 percent to 19 percent of ACLI believes that two positive ELISA
230,000 to 300;000 cases expected by people with positive results will develop tests and a positive Western Blot-must be
1990, according to Karen Clifford. an at- the "full-blown" AIDS syndrome within regarded as a true positive," Jack H.
torney for the Health Insurance Assoc•i- two to five nears and another 25 percent Blaine. ACLI's general counsel and vice
ation of America. She said some health ",ill develop .AIDS-related complex, a president of state relations, told a recent
insurers have seen claims of $300,000- milder form of the disease, within five conference. The test may not be perfect,
$500.000 per AIDS patient. years, Clifford explained. but it is better than most blood tests on the
"if current trends continue,we're talk- market. he said.
ing about staggering costs to the insuranceBriggs: If insurers can't ask Blaine explained the life insurance in-
industry," Clifford asserted. Because it's a the appropriate questions or dustry•s position: The number of ne-,v
new diseases that "we didn't even consid- demand appropriate tests. then cases is expected to double by next year
er until 1951," the industry has not had individuals can obtain average and the median age of death is 35. Even if
time to allocate resources and establish rates for protection against a positive test results mean maybe only a 10
reserves to handle the claims resulting percent chance of developing full-blown
from the epidemic disease. risk that's far above average. .AIDS in the future, that is a 10 percent
",AIDS is just another disease, like heart risk of incurring high health costs and
conditions, cancer, and mental illness, and death at an early age. That is a high
we'd % ant to be able to cover it in the "The insurance industry relies on the number, he stressed.
same way," Philip Briggs, executive vice basic concepts of undewriting, which is If present trends continue, Blaine add-
president of 'Metropolitan Life Insurance based on predicting risks," Clifford said. ed, the life insurance industry will lose
Co., told BT. "If you're a member of a Since the AIDS antibody blood tests are millions of dollars for .which underwriters
group police and employed, you're cov- "valid and statistically significant predic- did not calculate any premiums and thus
Bred. There's no basis that we [insurers) I,irs of increased risk," the industry's "ba- were not paid.
should refuse to pay for patients who is bottom line"is that it wants to take the James Dorsch, Washington counsel for
happen to have" AIDS, he stated. test results into consideration when un- the Health Insurance Association of
"That's the good news," he said, dei-writing policies, she explained. America, explained that insurers will he
11-8-85 Benefits Today
0747-9131185/$0*.50
i
382 (Voi. 2) BENEFITS TODAY
!,+long "a lot more closely" at applica- Nationwide Insurance of Columbus, ilac " ... wnuld like to use AIDS anti-
tions for large life insurance policies. Ohio, announced that it is revising its boss% d . .,d tests but has not "because of
One problem is that people who know homeowners, mobile home" condotttin- III,,, t', in state legislatures. We will
the% hase .AIDS but aren't sick yet buy a ium, and personal excess umbrella liabil- u:ut .: :css -.seeks or months to see how it
$10' million life insurance policy. Two ity policies to exclude"'communicable dis- wa,i , rut in various states.
sears later. they die and their live-in lover eases" from coverage because such H(,!nt, Office Reference Laboratories of
becomes a millionaire. policies"never were designed or priced to Kansas (At,- Mo., a wholly owned subsid-
"It's not against the law," Dorsch ex- pay claims for transmission of communi- iary of Business Men's Assurance Co. of
plained, and the "system can get de- cable diseases." It has received approval Kansas Cite, has begun processing AIDS
strosed, not onI% for life insufers but poli- from 2S state insurance departments thus antibudy blood tests for about 25 life in-
cvholders too." It becomes a question of far for the exclusionary endorsements. surance companies writing individual
"protecting the other policyholders from Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance policies. and that number will be increas-
the fes% who have advance knowledge Co. of Milwatukee. Wis., the 10th largest ing, according to Alex 'Matthews, vice
thev'll die in the next five vears." life insurer and one that sells only individ- president of corporate communications
.ACLI's Blaine said underwriters should ual life and disability insurance and antiu- for Business Hen's Assurance.
be allowed "to acquire the same know•l- ities, has received the okay from 1" of the He explained that about 1,000 insur-
edge"as an insurance applicant about any 50 states to ask one AIDS-related question ance companies normally use the medical
disease that is present. Otherwise, "lower- on insurance applications. lab to process blood and urine samples
risk policyholders will pay in the long For 195.1 and 1985. Northwestern \Ill- from medical examinations for insurance
run'* through higher premiums. tual paid $1.1 million on 17 policies for applications. The 25 life insurers have
.AIDS deaths and is contesting two claims simply asked that the AIDS antibody test
Insurers Begin To React because "we believe they may have be added to the list of tests processed on
What are insurers doing about .AIDS' known [about AIDS) but not revealed it" the blood samples.
Insurance associations have undertaken on their applications, according to Mark Moreover, Business Men's Assurance,
several initiatives already. HIAA and Lucius, advertising and corporate infor- which is a health and life insurance com-
ever have formed a joint task force d mation specialist. parrs•, has decided to process the AIDS
insurance company chief executive ofof „\ e pian to require certain life insur- antibody test on all blood samples it gets
ins a look at the feasibility of executive
contbui- ance applicants to undergo antibody tests, from its own business, Matthews added.
cering to AIDS education and research. and but we're not going to rush into it," Luci- He explained that in cases where a
they are developing a joint industry policy us stated. AIDS testing probabiy will be determination is made that a medical ex-
position that will be ready soon. required "similar to what we do now" for amination is needed for an individual
Because the lack of data on the disease certain age groups and insurance cover- policy — because of the large face
is of "utmost concern," Clifford said the age levels. he said. amount on the policy requested or be-
task force also will send out in November Lincoln National Life Insurance Co. of cause answers on the application indicate
a survey on company AIDS practices and Fort Wayne. Ind., the seventh largest possible exposure to AIDS or other trou-
wiil try to determine the expected casts stockholder-owned life insurance firm in blesome medical conditions — the AIDS
the United States, has paid $1.5 million on antibody blood test automatically will be
and impact on the industry as•a whole. 80 different AIDS-related claims, mostly included in the medical exam.
In October, the Equitable Life
major medical coverage, some life insur-
ance Society sent out a cassette tape on
various health care topics, with the first ance' and a 'handful of disability income
item entitled "Impact of AIDS on Benefits claims.' according to Dr. Donald C. Lucius: ''We plan to require
Costs Varies Widely.— Chambers. vice president and chief medi- certain life insurance appG-
agreed that "AIDS cases are cal director. cants to undergo antibody
Equitablebcovered like "A other disease Chambers said Lincoln National has re- tests. but we're !'ot going to
likely
cetved approval from 40 states so far to rust? mto ;Lby most medical pians." But it admitted.
"1t'e know yidual applications for life Insurance poli-
as little about the typical AIDS ask three .AIDS-related questions on indi-
cost as we do about curing the disease"
because there is no certain sway to project cies, but the insurer wants to get approval
typical costs for an AIDS victim. from more states before reprinting its ap- "This s%ay we are not discriminating
plication form. The .AIDS questions, as
The insurer said aIle problem is that an well as ones an marital status, age, and against am group geographically or based
.AIDS case doesn't show up as such on on sex,1.
Matthews said. adding that all
medical claims because several symptoms residence. would be asked of males aged medical exams will include the AIDS test.
often are discovered before .AIDS is dia –'-`'o living in the "high risk" areas of And on Oct. 11 the California Insur-
g New York, San Francisco, Los .Angeles,
nosed and because physicians sometimes ance Department denied a Sept. 26 re-
don't write an .AIDS diagnosis on the Miami. Newark. and Houston, he stated. quest by Blue Cross of California to offer
claim to protect patient confidentiality. Insurer Waits On States group health insurance policies that would
The Association of Life insurance Lincoln National will get statements exclude coverage for AIDS and other sex-
Medical Directors recently devoted a ses- 'from attending physicians, if there are ually transmitted diseases.
Sion at its 94th annual meeting to the any, or require an insurance examination The state's insurance department de-
latest medical and insurance related data it the requested policy is for S50,000 or nied the request on the grounds that it
on .AIDS and the Law" journal Seminars- more. Chambers added. was "unprecedented" and unjustified, ac-
Press sponsored a conference on the legal i i,- said the firm, which recently ceased cording to department spokesman Jorge
aspects of the AIDS crisis. I,•Itring "Illoderateiv severe hemophi- Sandoval.
1 t'8-85 Copyright 0 1985 t)y The Bureau of National Affairs,Inc.,Washington,D.C.20037
0747-9131185/$0-.50