The New Mexico AIDS or Aids Related Condition (ARC) Waiver Program also includes the Mi Via Self-Directed Services Program. Individuals diagnosed with AIDS or ARC who meets both the medical and financial criteria of the HIV/AIDS Home and Community-Based Waiver Program can choose the Mi Via Program.
Mi Via
Mi Via provides a community-based alternative to institutional care that offers the participant a more customized choice. The participant can choose the direction of care and have control over the supports and services they feel they need.
Mi Via self-directed services is available for individuals diagnosed with Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) who are eligible to receive services under the guidelines approved by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) for New Mexico. Mi Via is an alternative to the more traditional services offered through either the AIDS Waiver or a Nursing Facility.
How Do I Apply?
Participants would apply at their local Income Support office.
Who is Eligible for the Mi Via Waiver?
Individuals must meet the established Medicaid financial and non-financial criteria including (but not limited to):
- Meet the Social Security administration (SSA) disability requirements or be a participant in the program;
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Receive a diagnosis of AIDS as documented by a licensed physician;
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Be physically present in the State of New Mexico the day application is made or on the day of final determination of eligibility and have demonstrated intent to remain in the state;
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Require nursing facility level of care;
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Be reasonably expected to receive home and community-based care under the Waiver at lower cost than with a comparable level of institutional care ; and
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Make a choice to participate on the Mi Via Program.
What Is HIV?
HIV is the human immunodeficiency virus that causes AIDS. A member of a group of viruses called retroviruses, HIV infects human cells and uses the energy and nutrients provided by those cells to grow and reproduce.
What Is AIDS?
AIDS is a disease in which the body's immune system breaks down and is unable to fight off certain infections, known as "opportunistic infections," and other illnesses that take advantage of a weakened immune system.
When a person is infected with HIV, the virus enters the body and lives and multiplies primarily in the white blood cells. These are the immune cells that normally protect us from disease. The hallmark of HIV infection is the progressive loss of a specific type of immune cell called T-helper or CD4 cells.
As the virus grows, it damages or kills these and other cells, weakening the immune system and leaving the individual vulnerable to various opportunistic infections and other illnesses, ranging from pneumonia to cancer. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defines someone as having a clinical diagnosis of AIDS if they have tested positive for HIV and meet one or both of these conditions:
- They have experienced one or more AIDS-related infections or illnesses.
- The number of CD4 cells has reached or fallen below 200 per cubic millimeter of blood (a measurement known as T-cell count).
In healthy individuals, the CD4 count normally ranges from 450 to 1200.
Other HIV Resources
The Department of Health also has additional Health Service Provider (HSP) contracts through the HIV Services Program for primary medical care and essential support services to persons living with HIV/ AIDS. In New Mexico, the combined funding for the HIV Services Program is used for core medical and support services.
Services outpatient and ambulatory health care; the AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP); oral health care; health insurance premium and cost-sharing assistance; medical and non-medical case management; mental health services; emergency financial assistance; food vouchers; medical transportation, and housing assistance.