ATLANTA— State Representative Keisha Waites (D-Atlanta) today introduced House Bill 53, legislation to make HIV testing more routine in Georgia.
“Data suggests that patients often expect health care providers to initiate sexual health discussions, but many providers rarely start the conversation,” said Rep. Waites. “Unfortunately, this means that HIV testing is rarely being discussed by patients and physicians, and testing often slips through the cracks. My hope is that this legislation will open the door for communication between physician and patient, so that testing becomes more routine.”
HB 53 would require medical providers in primary care settings and emergency rooms to offer HIV tests to patients as a part of a routine blood panel test. Legislation similar to HB 53 has been enacted in New York, and in 2006, the CDC endorsed making HIV testing a part of routine medical care for people ages 13 to 64 in all healthcare settings. Under the Affordable Care Act, some new health insurance plans must cover certain recommended preventive services, including HIV testing for everyone ages 15 to 65, or for other ages that have an increased risk, without additional costs, such as copays or deductibles.
“Georgia and the metro Atlanta area continue to rank at the top of the nation in the number of new cases of HIV,” said Rep. Waites. “However, the numbers could be even higher, because many people still remain unaware of their HIV status. Some people go years without the treatment they need to keep them healthy and prevent the spread of the virus. This bill would simply ensure that our medical providers are having these essential conversations with their patients.”
According to the CDC, Georgia ranks fifth in the United States for most new cases of HIV. The CDC also estimates that of the 1.2 million people living with HIV in the United States, nearly one in seven do not know they are infected. Research has found that early diagnosis of HIV and prescription of anti-retroviral medication can reduce the risk of HIV transmission by up to 96 percent.
Rep. Waites, whose brother died from HIV, says that decreasing the rates of HIV in Georgia is one of her top priorities.
“One of the greatest ways to pay respect to my brother is to help to raise awareness about the disease and work to develop legislation that can save lives,” said Rep. Waites
For more information on HB 53, please click here.
Representative Keisha Waites represents the citizens of District 60, which includes portions of Clayton and Fulton counties. She was elected into the House of Representatives in 2012, and currently serves on the Interstate Cooperation, Juvenile Justice, Public Safety and Homeland Security, Special Rules, and Transportation committees.
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