HIV patient quits job as social security won't pay for drug

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HIV patient quits job as social security won't pay for drug
By Pongphon Sarnsamak
The Nation
2011-03-03

To save his life after living with the Aids virus for more than 20 years, Boriphat Donmoon, 47, decided to quit his job and terminate his healthcare coverage under the socialsecurity scheme because he could not access the antiretroviral drug atazanavir.

"I've been living without atazanavir for six months, as the hospital told me that patients under the Social Security Scheme are not eligible for the drug," he said.

Previously, Boriphat received a combination of two antiviral medications, lopinavir and ritonavir, under the SSS but since these drugs increased the levels of fat and sugar in blood vessels, doctors recommended that he take the secondline drug atazanavir, which has fewer side effects.

But when he went to hospital to receive atazanavir, staff would not dispense the drug to him, saying the SSS would not cover it.

Boriphat wrote to the Social Security Office (SSO) asking for an explanation. SSO staff told him he could access this drug but needed a recommendation from a doctor to explain his condition.

"I'd already handed a doctor's recommendation to the hospital, but a hospital staffer told me that I had to use my own money to buy this medicine," he said. "How could I find Bt13,000 a month to buy this lifesaving drug?"

Boriphat earned only Bt12,000 a month from working with a nonprofit organisation to help people living with HIV, which can cause Aids. Under the Labour Bill, he has to pay 5 per cent of his monthly salary to the Social Security Fund so he can receive healthcare coverage under the scheme.

But after he learned that he could not access lifesaving drugs such as atazanavir under this fund, even though he had paid a contribution every month, he decided to quit his job and terminate his SSS healthcare coverage.

"I was surprised when I learned that the hospital kept this drug in storage but only for patients who were registered with the National Health Security Office, which provides universal healthcare coverage, but not for an SSS subscriber like me," he said.

"So I would rather quit my job and be unemployed, as I could register to receive better medication under the universal healthcare scheme without paying any contribution."

Boriphat and a group of 40 people living with HIV yesterday organised a demonstration against the SSO asking it to add atazanavir to the SSF's medical benefits.

SSF medical committee member Dr Wichai Hokewiwat said the fund's medical benefits did not cover atazanavir, as it was an expensive drug. Moreover, patients could access other antiviral drugs for HIV/Aids treatment.

However, he said the SSF's subpanel on HIV/Aids would consider adding the drug to its medical benefits, but so far, there had been no meeting of the subpanel to discuss this issue.