Author Topic: Broward County HIV Clinic Closing (Read 6749 times)

cardsfan69 · « **on:** January 19, 2011, 06:48:34 pm »

Well folks, they are throwing us to the wolves down here in Florida/Broward County. 2700 people on the ADAP waiting list and now today I find out at my doctor's appointment that they are closing my clinic. It's called the Paul Hughes Health Center and it was the only county/state run clinic left offering HIV services. I had been going there for 9 years. Funny thing is they just remodeled the clinic last year ....spent a ton of cash doing it b/c they had closed another county/state run clinic and transferred all those patients to my clinic so they had to remodel my clinic to make room for everyone. Was told they are closing and I was handed a list of private providers that accept Ryan White. My clinic closes on Feb 28th so I got little over a month to choose/find another clinic. Most likely have to do an intake at that clinic (and pray they see i'm enrolled in ryan white in their computers) and have my current clinic that is closing fax over all my medical records to them. Not much time to get all that done. And since that clinic is closing patients receiving medical services thru medicaid and medicare there are screwed too. They fired everyone at the clinic (except for dental) just last Tuesday Jan 11 and gave them til Feb 28th to find new jobs. Not much notice. Rick Scott (Tea Party) just took over as governor of the state ......I get the feeling this is just the beginning of horrible things to come for those of us living with HIV here in Florida.

My doctor said my clinic had the best rating of any state/county run clinic in the state. She said the patients at that clinic had a rating of being in the best health of any other private or state run clinic in Florida. Also the wait time was great. Bloodwork appointments only lasted maybe 30minutes. Doctors appointments maybe a 15min wait then a 30min visit with ur doctor. Yah makes alot of sense close the best HIV clinic in the state. What a waste the building is just gonna be sitting there full of empty space and offices and only the dental clinic will still be running out of it.

bmancanfly · « **Reply #1 on:** January 19, 2011, 07:19:15 pm »

Sorry to hear about this. Maybe someone from that area can suggest an alternative.

Maybe our new gov. , Rick Scott (Rick Perry is in TX) wants more people to go to his for profit medical clinics (Solantic). No wonder he is opposed to the new healthcare law.

Sorry again for your troubles.

mecch · « **Reply #2 on:** January 19, 2011, 07:22:14 pm »

What a pity. How worrisome.
And 30 minute appts with a doctor is very impressive!
All these steps backward and nothing forward?

buginme2 · « **Reply #3 on:** January 19, 2011, 08:34:23 pm »

I'm sorry to hear that. That area of Florida is so beautiful. I've always wanted to live in Ft Lauderdale. I hope things work out.

phildinftlaudy · « **Reply #4 on:** January 19, 2011, 08:49:04 pm »

While change is difficult and never easy - there are lots of good ASOs and medical clinics/care in Broward - I used to get my care from Memorial Health Care and they were great --- Broward House is also good and Care Resource also -- lots of good options. Fort Lauderale has plenty of places to get excellent care.

Oceanbeach · « **Reply #5 on:** January 19, 2011, 09:12:59 pm »

Welcome to the Forums...

Our Sonoma County HIV clinic closed last June due to lack of RWCA Title I funding. Our county failed to meet the numbers of people who were diagnosed HIV in Sonoma County. Our county lost $1.7 million in annual funds in the RWCA Modernization Act in 2007. This proves, no matter who the payer of the last resort is, when you take that amount of monies from the budget, the clinic will close.

The Center For HIV Prevention and Care in Santa Rosa Calif. had over 500 patients, accepted private insurance, Medicare, Medi-Cal and RWCA insurances, Has a HIV Specialist who was on the 100 most important people in Sonoma County of the 20th century and close a few months after the Title I funding ended. This was a county owned organization so most employees retained employment and a transition team was established to see each patient was transferred to another facility including follow through to the first appointment in their new facility. I chose UCSF, Positive Clinic in San Francisco because they have 125 years of training the best physicians with the most up to date technologies. It was not known who would replace our ADAP clerk or if that position would be filled. ADAP California lost over $5.5 million in a arnold schwartzenegger budget in 2009 but has been maintaining pharmacy costs. With my HIV care and services 70 miles away, I will find out this year. California had 9 Title I EMA's in 2007 but only 6 now. Sacramento (our State Capital) and Santa Clara (San Jose) lost their funding when our county did. Hope you find the best resources for you

Have the best day
Michael

cardsfan69 · « **Reply #6 on:** January 20, 2011, 12:07:29 am »

Yah Care Resource is my 1st choice i'm pretty sure Broward House is for homeless people.

One thing about Care Resourse though is I already called over there and talked to the case manager and i'm going over tomorrow to pickup an intake packet of paperwork to take home and fill out. One thing that troubles me is u can also look at their intake paperwork on their website and under the personal information they ask your gross income. Kind of confusing why they ask that since they are a Ryan White facility and they can look that up on their computers under your Ryan White eligibility profile. I sure hope I also dont have to go thru some sort of finanacial qualification to go to Care Resource on top of already enrolling in Ryan White. I thought already being enrolled in Ryan White automatically made me eligible to go to any clinic that accepted Ryan White.

leatherman · « **Reply #7 on:** January 20, 2011, 12:23:45 am »

Quote from: cardsfan69 on January 20, 2011, 12:07:29 am

I sure hope I also dont have to go thru some sort of financial qualification to go to Care Resource on top of already enrolling in Ryan White. I thought already being enrolled in Ryan White automatically made me eligible to go to any clinic that accepted Ryan White.

i would suggest that this situation is nothing out of the ordinary.

You'll be amazed, as you do paperwork throughout the years at any agencies (insurance, state, federal, etc), at the amount of times you'll have to produce the same paperwork over and over and over to qualify everywhere. (after 18 yrs of receiving foodstamps, I still have to produce my birth certificate every year when I re-certify) You will be applying at a new (to you) agency and will have to produce all your documentation to them just like anyplace else you would apply to the first time. I keep all that stuff in a special folder and every place I go for aide, social services, medical assistance, etc, I have it on hand just in case - and usually have to use it. LOL

Producing the same paperwork over and over is tiresome but an awfully small price to pay to qualify when you're in need.

cardsfan69 · « **Reply #8 on:** January 20, 2011, 01:35:17 am »

Ok well I'm not sure where u live but here in Broward County we have what's called Centralized Ryan White Eligibility. Up until like a year ago we did Ryan White enrollment at the clinic we went to but then they centralized it all and everyone goes to one place to enroll (not their clinics) and all info is entered into a centralized computer that all Ryan White clinics are supposed to have access to. So not sure about having to redo everything like u have to do since we have a different setup here in Broward in terms of Ryan White. Everything is computerized here and linked up to every clinic. So that's why i'm wondering why they ask about financial info on their intake paperwork.

skeebo1969 · « **Reply #9 on:** January 20, 2011, 08:02:06 am »

I used the Miami branch of Care Resource and have nothing but good things to say about them. I thought it was an excellent facility.

Oceanbeach · « **Reply #10 on:** January 20, 2011, 12:43:19 pm »

Every year in November, I fill out the exact same forms at a county office for Medi-Cal. Every year on my B-Day month, I fill out my ADAP application and in my case, nothing changes. The paperwork comes in the mail, I fill out the parts required and send it back. AIDS provides jobs but not necessarily for people who have AIDS. Looks like there are several Forum members who are already getting services and are happy with the quality of care and services in Broward County

Have the best day
Michael

cardsfan69 · « **Reply #11 on:** January 20, 2011, 02:18:05 pm »

Skeebo when we did intake at the miami care resource did u have to do any separate financial qualifications to use their clinic other than being enrolled in ryan white? B/c i'm already enrolled in ryan white and i'm seeing on their intake papers they ask alot about financial info.....employment.....household size etc

skeebo1969 · « **Reply #12 on:** January 20, 2011, 02:38:57 pm »

Quote from: cardsfan69 on January 20, 2011, 02:18:05 pm

Skeebo when we did intake at the miami care resource did u have to do any separate financial qualifications to use their clinic other than being enrolled in ryan white? B/c i'm already enrolled in ryan white and i'm seeing on their intake papers they ask alot about financial info.....employment.....household size etc

I went there shortly after being diagnosed. With it being my first one financial aspects during the intake process were indeed covered however, I am unable to remember if it was anything separate from Ryan White due to the fact I was a new enrollee. To be honest I don't think so but I'm not sure (boy that helps).

If they still run the same operation you'll be happy with them. It's been 5 years since I've been there and I have yet to find anything remotely comparable. It was easy to be seen by the doctor. I was always seen within 15 minutes of my appointment time. And it was a one stop shop; case managent, mental health, nutrition, support groups, blood draws, and doctor all within the same facility.

Do you know if they still have a doctor by the name of Elena Castro?

phildinftlaudy · « **Reply #13 on:** January 20, 2011, 07:01:15 pm »

Care Resource has two locations - one in Miami and one in Fort Lauderdale
Here is link to their website (skeebo - you may be able to see if they have that doc's name listed on it):

http://careresource.org/

The link for Broward House - Broward County's oldest and largest HIV/AIDS Service Organization (I know the Chief Operating Officer and Director of Grants there) is:

http://browardhouse.org/

Both offer a range of services. Broward House doesn't serve only homeless people - they have housing, etc. but also a large case management department. They are also the county's provider of HOPWA services.

Jody · « **Reply #14 on:** January 20, 2011, 09:32:34 pm »

Hi cardsfan and other fine folks here...I'm sorry and saddened to hear the news of your sanctuary to best assist you to live with HIV will close so suddenly and tragically...Believe me when I tell you how much I fear change in many ways in life. It looks like this is something we all must deal with going forward as budget crisises nationwide will leave states hurting. Today it was reported that NY state will lose 10,000 of its workers, a huge blow to services and families, health care and employment in our state. Tea Party lunatics run for office on reactionary principles and I think it is safe to say that health care for the poor, disenfranchised and those living with diseases and who could survive just fine with a little assistance, is not a high priority for them. Many of these politicians pander to the lowest common denominator and and cater to a crowd (who also vote) and who go armed to their neo-Fascist rallies. They are in essence saying to you to go drop dead and if they also pander to the religious right wing, and who amongst them doesn't, then they hope you go to Hell soon after.

But in your case, cardsfan and Michael and others I hope you find the right care for you and do well going forward, it will take some persistence it would seem. Our choices are being wittled down. The sacred cows will survive a bad economy, let's pull for each other to do so as well.

Jody

cardsfan69 · « **Reply #15 on:** January 21, 2011, 05:51:12 pm »

Skeebo i bet u since Care Resource was the first place you went to after being diagnosed the financial info they went over with u was for Ryan White and even ADAP if u didnt have any insurance. They would have had to do that since u had never been enrolled in Ryan white to be able to receive services at their clinic. Every clinic in the county used to do their own ryan white and adap eligibility (which u had to provide proof of ur income/financial status) .....so i bet that's what ur remembering.

Ryan White has centralized intake now down off sunrise blvd but several clinics have a person from the centralized office working there to do ryan white.

But since i'm already enrolled in both ADAP and Ryan White i'm hoping i dont get grilled about my financial status since all the information is in my Ryan White eligibility profile which each clinic (including Care Resource) has access to getting it from the computers being all networked together from the centralized intake location. I asked the receptionist at the front desk of case management and he said yah i was already qualified since i'm already enrolled in ryan white. I took in my proof of eligibility in with me and he made a copy of it and put it in my file with my intake papers.

cardsfan69 · « **Reply #16 on:** January 22, 2011, 06:42:36 pm »

BTW, anyone familiar with a Case Manager that works over at Care Resource by the name of David Schuman?

phildinftlaudy · « **Reply #17 on:** January 22, 2011, 06:48:16 pm »

Don't know the case manager at Care Resource -
but a friend of mine is the Director of the Centralized Ryan White unit at Broward Regional Health Planning Council --- her name is Janice. They are the ones handling all of the centralization of enrollment, eligibility, and coordination of services.

cardsfan69 · « **Reply #18 on:** January 22, 2011, 09:06:49 pm »

I'm already enrolled in ryan white for medical/dental. I did it last november thru centralized intake.

cardsfan69 · « **Reply #19 on:** January 23, 2011, 02:54:24 pm »

So the fact i'm already enrolled in Ryan White for medical/dental should make the process of switching over to Care Resource alot easier right? I went in last thursday and picked up the clinics intake paperwork. 38 pages worth! Got it all filled out and returned it friday and have an appointment with a case manager there named David Schuman on Feb 7th. I couldnt believe that i couldnt get an earlier date. My doctor at my clinic that is closing gave me a "starter pack" of medical records to take with me to give to the case manager. Also when i talk about case manager i'm not talking about a case manager for ryan white i'm just talking about a regular case worker for the clinic. Anyways, she gave me a copy of my vaccine records, a medical assement sheet she filled out with my conditions and what meds i take, copies of labs from this month and also from last october, and my western blot.

I was hoping to get into Care Resource to finish up my intake into their clinic before Feb 7th b/c my clinic closes Feb 28th and that's not much time to get all my other medical records faxed over to Care Resource considering the people at Paul Hughes (the one that is closing) is probably going to be very busy over the next few weeks faxing over medical records for every patient there that has to find a new clinic. Care Resource really didnt act like it was an urgent matter. I think I'm gonna call monday and talk to the case manager that i'm scheduled to see..... to see if he can get me an earlier date or if he wants me to just go ahead and have my current clinic fax over my medical records to him directly.

If they keep playing this with such a laid back attitude I might shop around for another clinic this week. I got referrals to 6 clinics. There's not much time here to get switched over b/c i'm not sure when my clinic closes what happens to my medical records. The clinic is a broward county health department clinic so i hope they store them somewhere that i will have access to them just in case time runs out and things havent gotten done by the time the clinic has closed.

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Author Topic: Broward County HIV Clinic Closing (Read 6749 times)