Under the ADA (Americans with Disabilites Act) HIV+ people are protected from health care discrimination. State and local laws may also protect HIV+ people from health care discrimination. Under the laws, your doctor or dentist cannot refuse to treat you because you have HIV.

Doctors and dentists are supposed to use universal precautions when treating patients. Universal precautions protect medical providers by requiring them to treat all bodily fluids as potentially hazardous. Therefore, medical providers working with bodily fluids should wear gloves and masks, and use proper sterilization and disposal techniques when performing medical procedures involving bodily fluids for all patients.

Are all health care providers required to treat all persons with HIV/AIDS?

No. A health care provider is only required to treat a person who is seeking treatment or services within that provider's area of expertise. If the patient falls outside the health care provider's area of specialization, that provider can refer the patient with HIV/AIDS to another provider in an appropriate specialty.

The good news is that there are MANY wonderful, cooperative doctors out there who are more than willing to work with HIV+ patients.