Troubling Minority AIDS Data
Broward is unique among Florida's 61 Counties – with two tax-supported hospitals systems that are among the largest of their kind in the nation.
Each hospital system, or District, is governed by a board of seven Commissioners appointed by Florida's governor to represent the taxpaying public's interest.
Trouble is, too often that's not how the system works.
Basically, for one of two reasons:
One - Either the Commissioners are unaware of the extent and nature of the many complex problems existing in the giant healthcare systems.
Two – Or they know and don't care.
This is certainly the case when it comes to the frightening disparity in the hospital bills for minority AIDS patients at Broward's two public hospital systems.
Even worse, I suspect this is also the same dynamic created by ignorance and indifference among leaders in the minority community -- as well as the local news media.
But then, as Edmund Burke once so wisely said, “Evil triumphs when good men do nothing."
So...
Consider the troubling questions raised by the following data:
Hospital Bill per AIDS Patient - 2008
Tax Supported – Public Hospitals
North Broward Hospital District
Average Black $73.873
Black AIDS patients 1,197
Average Hispanic $65,650
Hispanic AIDS patients 59
Average White $43,536
AIDS patients 527
South Broward Hospital District
Average Black $72,969
Black AIDS patients 281
Average White $66,792
# White AIDS patients 90
Average Hispanic $57,008
Hispanic AIDS patients 65
Private Hospitals
Average Black $58,236
Black patients 434
Average White $50,296
White patients 174
Average Hispanic $36,560
Hispanic patients 18
Public policy questions for someone who cared to ask:
1. Do minority AIDS patients generate higher hospitals billls
because they are sicker and require more care?
2. Do minority AIDS patients experience longer inpatient stays
to generate additional Medicaire/Medicaid revenue?
3. Are hospitals taking advantage of minority AIDS patients
by slamming them with unneeded tests to generate addtional
revenue?
4. Is effective outpatient care more easily available to white AIDS
patients than their minority counterparts -- thus requiring white
AIDS patgients to need less acute inpatient care?
SOURCE: Agency for Health care Administration
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