Medicare will now cover HIV screenings for those at high risk of infection or those who request it.
“Every adult should know their HIV status. This decision by Medicare should help promote screening and save lives,” said Howard K. Koh, MD, MPH, the assistant secretary of the US Department of Health.
The number of people older than 50 who are diagnosed with HIV rises each year, according to an article in the LA Times. More than 1.1 million people in the US were living with HIV in 2006, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
In addition, Medicare covers many disabled people younger than 65 who are also at risk for contracting HIV.