The HIV Epidemic in SC

In South Carolina we continue to combat a growing rate of new HIV infection, where most new cases are under 45 years old. Of these, most new cases are between 18-24 years of age; (73% of new cases are under 45, 42% of new cases are under 30);

South Carolina’s prevalence rates (both old and new cases) continue to escalate where most People Living With HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) are over 45 years old. This represents 52% of People Living With HIV/AIDS that will “gray into AIDS”;

Due to antiretroviral therapy (ART) and care services the life span of PLWHA has steadily increased. Being in treatment reduces unnecessary medical costs and HIV related deaths. South Carolina must continue our efforts to make sure PLWHA get quick access to HIV/AIDS medications to control unnecessary spread of HIV;

As of 2010, South Carolina has over 16,000 cases of HIV/AIDS, where almost 38% of those we know have HIV and are not in care;

We are deeply concerned because of the growing percentage of South Carolinians that go undiagnosed because they avoid, refuse, and/or are never offered HIV testing because of HIV/AIDS stigma

Not in Care is % of county number within color ranking
(e.g., Beaufort County has 366 people living with HIV/AIDS
and 38-51 percent of those people are NOT in care)

Developed by:
SCHACCTF Policy
and Research
Sub-Committee
April 2012

Medical Care Charges in South Carolina:
The SC Legislature Is On The Right Track By Funding ADAP

(Source - Office of Research Statistics - Lynn Bailey/Mary Tyrell, Health Economists)
During 2010
Inpatient Hospital Charges for People with HIV/AIDS
The average cost of a seven day hospital stay for an individual with HIV/AIDS was $41,462-that’s more than $6,000 dollars per day

2 times the typical SC hospital inpatient charge
Newborn (only a few) = $65,981 per discharge----≈ 7 times “typical” newborn charge
Pediatric (only a few) = $16,292 ---≈ 5 times “typical” pediatric patient charge
Young Adult (18-35) = $11,948--- ≈ 2.5 times typical young adult charge

Outpatient Charges

Drugs (based on claims paid data) $14,445 annually for 2010 or ≈ $1,200 a month
Physician Office Visits = $10,445 annually
Hospital Outpatient (lab, imaging, o/p surgery etc.) = $ 3,015 annually
Outpatient charges run ≈ $2,300 month/patient

Emergency Department

Data excluded trauma charges
In SC in 2010, a total 1.4 emergency department visits
5,804 were for HIV/AIDS [less than 1% of all visits]
Average SC emergency department charge is $2,194
Average SC HIV-AIDS emergency department charge is $2,721
Only 25% more than typical emergency department charge probably from extra lab charges

The TAKE AWAY Message

• The SC Legislature is on the right track and must protect the ($4.6 million recurring and the $1 million non-recurring) for the AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP) if we are to maximize on federal investments and contain further spread of HIV in our communities.
• To care for an HIV/AIDS patient in an outpatient setting including medication is an estimate of ≈ $28,000 annually in SC.
• If an HIV/AIDS patient is hospitalized the charges triple.
• Restore HIV-AIDS prevention for South Carolina--Preventing HIV-AIDS Can Save Citizens and the State Money.
• Preventing just half or 400 SC cases of HIV/AIDS annually could save us ≈ $100M in health care (public and private) annually.
• We need the SC Legislature to support the $5.6 million and restore HIV/AIDS prevention.