Doug Wirth, President and CEO of Amida Care Video Message to The Positive Community Family
Amida Care is a private, nonprofit community health plan that specializes in providing comprehensive health coverage and coordinated care to Medicaid members with chronic conditions, including HIV/AIDS and behavioral health disorders. We currently serve 8,000 members throughout the five boroughs of New York City, including people living with HIV/AIDS; people who are experiencing homelessness, regardless of HIV status; and people of transgender experience, regardless of HIV status.
Our Mission
Amida Care’s mission is to provide access to comprehensive care and coordinated services that facilitate positive health outcomes and the general well-being of our members.
Our History
In 1999, the New York State Department of Health in collaboration with the AIDS Institute provided grant funding for the development of customized approaches to chronic disease management. In response, six community-based New York City HIV/AIDS providers came together to develop and launch Amida Care (then Vida Care) in 2003.
Amida Care has developed a highly effective, specialized model of care to provide individualized attention and support to people with HIV/AIDS and other complex health issues. Today, Amida Care is the largest special needs health plan (SNP) in New York State. People experiencing homeless (regardless of HIV status) are also eligible to enroll, and, as of November 1, 2017, the plan expanded to provide access to all eligible transgender individuals regardless of HIV status. Amida Care’s care coordination and integrated social support services are now available to more transgender individuals, who often experience significant barriers to care. The expansion supports the goals of Governor Andrew Cuomo’s Blueprint to End the AIDS Epidemic (ETE) in New York State by 2020.
