Comment on CMS-2026-2047-0002

Reference file code CMS-2454-IFC To Dr. Oz and CMS administrators: (I have been living with HIV for 14 years and am a member of Positive Women's Network–USA PWN-USA), a national organization led by and for women, transgender, and gender-diverse people living with HIV. I rely/have relied on Medicaid because it provides access to the healthcare that keeps me alive and healthy. Medicaid covers my HIV care, medications, laboratory testing, preventive care, and routine medical visits. It has given me the stability to manage my health while serving my community as an advocate, peer support specialist, and leadership development professional. Without Medicaid, many of the opportunities I have today would not have been possible. Medicaid has helped me access the comprehensive healthcare I need to live well with HIV. It has covered my HIV care and medications, primary care, specialist appointments, mental health services, prescription medications, preventive screenings, dental care, and transportation to medical appointments. Having access to these services has allowed me to stay engaged in care, monitor my health, and receive the treatment I need without worrying about whether I could afford it. Medicaid has improved my health and my life by allowing me to remain in consistent HIV care and maintain my health. Because I have reliable access to treatment, I have been able to achieve and maintain viral suppression, continue working, and dedicate my life to supporting other people living with HIV. Medicaid has allowed me to focus on living, not just surviving. It has given me the opportunity to become a leader in my community, advocate for health equity, and help others access the resources they need. This rule will affect me by creating unnecessary administrative barriers that could interrupt my healthcare even if I continue to qualify for Medicaid. More paperwork, reporting requirements, and frequent eligibility reviews increase the risk of losing coverage because of administrative mistakes rather than because someone is no longer eligible. Living with HIV already requires ongoing medical care and monitoring. Adding more bureaucracy makes it harder for people like me to stay healthy. If I lost Medicaid or experienced delays because of new paperwork or reporting requirements, I would experience my HIV care being interrupted, and I could lose access to the medications that keep me healthy and virally suppressed. I could miss important medical appointments, and both my physical and mental health could suffer. I would also struggle to afford the healthcare I need, and the added administrative burden could make it even harder to keep my coverage. Any interruption in care could affect my ability to continue working, advocating, and serving my community, despite remaining eligible for Medicaid. Why this matters to me is knowing firsthand that Medicaid is more than an insurance program, it is a lifeline. It has allowed me to live a healthy, productive life with HIV and contribute to my community instead of worrying about whether I can afford healthcare. No one should lose access to lifesaving care because of confusing paperwork or administrative hurdles. Healthcare should support people, not create barriers that put their lives at risk. If policymakers remember only one thing from my comments, you must know that People living with HIV should never lose access to healthcare because of paperwork. Medicaid saves lives. Continuous access to care keeps people healthy, virally suppressed, working, caring for their families, and preventing new HIV transmissions. Please protect Medicaid and ensure that people living with HIV are not harmed by unnecessary reporting requirements. In closing, I urge you to withdraw or substantially revise this Interim Final Rule. Medicaid should help people access health care, not create unnecessary barriers that put lives at risk. People living with HIV and others who rely on Medicaid deserve continuous access to the care and services they need to stay healthy and thrive. Sincerely, LaDawn Tate