Medicare, Part D, the government's new program of privatized prescription drug coverage, is the topic of December's HIV Forum. Arlington Smith of Greater Hartford Legal Aid will clarify the drug plan and discuss its impact on HIV positive individuals currently receiving prescription drug benefits through Medicaid. He will speak on Tuesday, December 13 at noon at the Living Center, 1841 Broad Street. The event is free; lunch will be provided and advance registration is required.

As Entitlements Resource Coordinator of the AIDS Legal Network, Smith provides HIV/AIDS service information, legal case management, benefits analyses and advocacy for clients in collaboration with Legal AID attorneys, the Ryan White Planning Council and the HIV Caucus. He also conducts social service benefits trainings for consumers and providers.

Forum attendees will gain a basic understanding of Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage (Part D) and its long-term impact on recipients. Smith will address various plan options, enrollment steps and available community resources. Although his talk will focus on HIV positive consumers, their families and service providers, interested members of the public also will benefit from this discussion. "It¹s a big change in our government health program," says Smith. "People need to know and understand the process because it is going to affect them. The more time you have to figure this out the better."

As of January 1, 2006, Smith notes, dually eligible individuals (now covered by both Medicare and Medicaid) will no longer have Medicaid prescription coverage. They must choose a plan that best meets their medication and financial needs from a variety of private insurance carriers. Those who do not enroll on their own will be assigned an insurer. "Each carrier has multiple plans and every plan has different formularies, premiums, deductibles and co-pays," states Smith. "The nightmare for all of us is being able to explain the program and hope that everyone gets what they need."

This is the fourth lecture in the Fall 2005 series of forums organized by The Institute for Community Research and the Connecticut AIDS Education and Training Center with support from Gilead Sciences and GlaxoSmith Kline. The Hartford HIV Forum meets from 12:00 noon to 1:30 p.m., on the second Tuesday of each month from September through June. The goal of the forums is to give the local community the most up-to-date information on current topics in AIDS prevention, treatment, research and care. To register for the forum, call the Institute for Community Research at 860-278-2044. For more information about the series, contact Kim Radda at The Institute for Community Research at 860-278-2044 X285.

The Institute for Community Research is an independent, nonprofit organization that conducts applied research and community enhancement programs to promote equal access to health, education, and cultural resources. The Connecticut AIDS Education and Training Center trains providers with the goal of improving HIV clinical care through a grant from the Health Resources & Services Administration (Federal Grant No. 1H4A HA 00050-AO).