Paleski v. STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH SERVICES

Opinion

MALLANO, Acting P. J .

Plaintiff, a beneficiary of the California Medical Assistance Program (Medi-Cal), has AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome). He depends upon Medi-Cal for prescription drugs. Plaintiff’s physician diagnosed him with wasting syndrome, a disorder related to HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) that causes the body to use lean body mass rather than fat as an energy source. Plaintiff’s physician prescribed a drug specifically approved for the treatment of HIV-related wasting.

After an initial course of treatment, which proved beneficial, plaintiff’s physician…