Introductory Letter for Providers

COMMONWEALTH of VIRGINIA

KAREN KIMSEY	Department of Medical Assistance Services SUITE 1300
DIRECTOR	600 EAST BROAD STREET RICHMOND, VA 23219
	804/786-7933 800/343-0634 (TDD)
	www.dmas.virginia.gov

[Date]

[Clinician name/credential]

[Practice mailing address]

Opportunity for peer-to-peer consultation on HIV medication adherence

Dear [clinician title] [clinician last name]:

In Virginia, an estimated one out of every three people living with HIV is not in care. People with HIV who stay in care are more likely to reach viral suppression and less likely to transmit HIV. Supporting members living with HIV and their providers, before loss from care, is a way forward.

Virginia Medicaid is at the forefront of innovative programming that helps people stay in HIV care. Virginia Medicaid and partners are implementing and evaluating the Antiretroviral Improvement among Medicaid enrolleeS (AIMS) program. The program will evaluate whether referrals to support services improve HIV medication adherence and staying in care.

The AIMS program supports Virginia Medicaid members at early risk of falling out of HIV care. It also supports their providers. Members are eligible if they have an antiretroviral therapy (ART) prescription refill(s) that is late by 30–90 days. Eligible members are identified using Medicaid insurance claims. Program staff will talk with participating members about their HIV medication adherence and offer referrals to support services. Providers of eligible members who have never filled an HIV prescription can have a peer-to-peer consultation that is tailored to their needs. Consults will be with expert HIV clinicians and may involve discussion of ART clinical guidelines, strategies to optimize ART adherence, and/or resources for clinical management and supporting people living with HIV.

Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) is our partner implementing the study on behalf of Virginia Medicaid. The Virginia Department of Health and University of Virginia are also partners. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and National Institutes of Health are working with the team as well. Institutional review boards at VCU and the Virginia Department of Health approve the study. See the accompanying information sheet for details.

You have been identified as a provider who can have a peer-to-peer consultation. In the next two weeks, you will receive a call to learn more about the program and its evaluation. You may also contact the program’s principal investigator, Dr. April Kimmel, at april.kimmel@vcuhealth.org.

Thank you for your dedication to serving Virginians living with HIV. We look forward to telling you more about

the program.

Sincerely,

John Morgan, MD

Chief Clinical Innovation Officer

Office of the Chief Medical Officer

Department of Medical Assistance Services/Virginia Medicaid

600 E. Broad Street, Richmond, VA 23219

Phone: 804-786-7933

Email: john.morgan@dmas.virginia.gov

April D. Kimmel, PhD

Associate Professor, Department of Health Behavior and Policy

Principal Investigator, The AIMS Program

Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine

830 East Main Street, Richmond, VA 23219

Phone: 804-628-6273

Email: april.kimmel@vcuhealth.org