By: Jennifer McMillen Smith, MSSA, LISW-S, Division of Infectious Disease and medically reviewed by Ann Avery, Infectious Disease Physician at Metrohealth Medical Center
When you’re living with HIV, sometimes it might feel like the paperwork will never end.
Pretty much everything you do in life requires some kind of documentation, and that includes taking care of your HIV. Stuff like:
- Applications for medicine assistance
- Applications for government programs like Medicaid or Ryan White
- Test results
- Prescriptions
Although it may seem a bit much at times, it is actually important: it tells everybody involved in your treatment exactly what’s happening now and what’s been done in the past.
So on to the question at hand: Who can you turn to for help with all your medical paperwork?
It’s like everything in life: Start with yourself and go from there.
Why might you need help with your HIV paperwork?
When you’re looking over a bunch of boxes and spaces on any kind of paperwork, it’s easy to skip over stuff or to enter it wrong. Then there are test results, which can be full of medical lingo that looks like a foreign language.
Getting a bit lost or confused at times is normal.
Most people who get overwhelmed by medical paperwork do so because they don’t deal with it all that often. But health professionals who handle medical paperwork every day know the stuff the rest of us usually get wrong. They keep an eye out for the usual mistakes, and that makes it easier to catch them.
Moral of the story, when you need it, ask for help 🙂
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Finding people to help with your medical paperwork
Some people who can help are:
- Social workers or medical case managers
- Nurses and nurses’ aides in your clinic
- People in your HIV support group
The Ryan White program specifically funds medical case managers to help patients navigate the healthcare system, and that includes paperwork. Medical case managers are often Master-level social workers who can help you with everything from prescription assistance to Medicaid applications and link you up to resources in the community.
What about legal advice?
You have certain rights as a U.S. citizen that are protected by law. And there could be times when your care requires a legal decision. Usually, your doctors or social workers will know about these kinds of issues and can steer you in the right direction.
Most cities have a legal aid office for people who cannot afford lawyers. There are a few organizations in Cleveland, such as Nueva Luz Urban Resource Center, which specialize in helping persons living with HIV. These offices can be great resources for non-criminal legal issues, such as housing and eviction.
Moral of the story?
No matter which documents you’re dealing with, it’s okay to ask for help when needed. Our staff at MetroHealth are happy to assist you! 🙂 We value you and your health and think you should too. If you’re in Cleveland and a MetroHealth patient, our medical case managers are available in the clinic or by calling (216) 778-5551.
Related Blogs:
Positive Peers is made possible through a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Health Resources and Services Administration, HIV/AIDS Bureau Special Projects of National Significance (SPNS) Grant to The MetroHealth System. Click here for more information about the SPNS grant initiative.
Positive Peers is a private app for young people living with HIV. Learn how you can earn rewards for your participation.