The federal government will soon start penalizing states that don't track HIV patients by name. California could be among the states that will lose federal funds. KPBS Reporter Kenny Goldberg has the story.
California uses an alpha-numeric code to track people who test positive for HIV.
But federal health officials say names reporting is much more accurate. And beginning this fall, the government will slash AIDS funding to states that don't use names reporting.
Ged Kenslea with the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, says California could lose up to 50-million dollars a year.
So the fear or the threat of losing a quite substantial amount of dwindling federal dollars, is really something that the California Legislature needs to pay attention to.
The state assembly will hold hearings this week on a measure to change California's HIV reporting system. The state senate has already approved the bill. Kenny Goldberg, KPBS News.
