The Particulars: Policies to improve the health of patients with HIV may be guided by nationally representative estimates of health insurance coverage and type, as well as a better understanding of the impact of insurance status on HIV clinical outcomes.

Data Breakdown: Data analyses found that among adults with HIV in care in the United States, those who were continuously insured were significantly more likely to achieve viral suppression (VS) than those with no or lapsed insurance (64% vs 51%). Among insured patients, those with Medicare, Tricare, Champus, or Veterans Administration were more likely than those with other insurance to achieve VS. Those with Medicaid and city, county, state, or other publicly funded insurance were least likely to achieve VS.

Take Home Pearls: Among patients in care for HIV, those with no or lapsed insurance appear to be less likely to achieve VS than those with continuous insurance. Among those with insurance, insurance type seems to be a significant predictor of VS.