A former ER worker went viral with a shocking claim: people attend ‘HIV parties’ to intentionally contract the virus and qualify for disability

A woman claiming to be a former emergency room worker has gone viral after repeating an unverified claim that some people attend gatherings to intentionally contract HIV in order to qualify for government disability benefits. The video, as reported by the Daily Dot, was reshared on X by @WallStreetApes and drew a sharp divide in the comments.

The woman in the video does not give her name, the hospital she worked at, or any dates of employment. She says she encountered patients engaged in behavior she describes only as things “you can’t wrap your mind around.” She then references what she calls “HIV parties,” claiming some people attend them specifically to contract the virus. “They go to these parties so that they can receive HIV. So they can be permanently disabled,” she said.

She adds that these individuals then sign up for government disability benefits funded by taxpayers. No public health data, CDC reporting, or documented cases supporting the existence of organized HIV parties held for the purpose of obtaining disability benefits were found. The narrative has circulated online for years without independent verification. The woman’s identity, employment history, and all specific claims in the video could not be verified.

What the SSA actually says

The video drew a range of reactions on X. Some users took the claim at face value. “Everything always ends up making sense,” one person wrote. Another said, “I can see that happening,” while a third said some people are willing to “game the system” to receive government benefits. Others were more skeptical, questioning why the woman did not report the activity to authorities if she believed it was illegal, and some called the story implausible outright.

The comments also brought in a separate claim. One user who said they are a kidney transplant patient wrote that some patients have declined transplants because a successful procedure could affect their disability status. That claim could not be independently verified either. On the core question of whether an HIV diagnosis qualifies someone for disability benefits, the answer from federal guidelines is no.

According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, an HIV diagnosis by itself does not meet the threshold for disability benefits. Applicants must meet the agency’s definition of disability and submit medical evidence showing their condition limits their ability to work. The process involves substantial medical review, meaning a diagnosis alone is not enough to access benefits.

According to the CDC, HIV is a virus that attacks the body’s immune system and, without treatment, can lead to AIDS. There is currently no cure, but people with HIV who receive effective treatment can live long, healthy lives. HIV has also remained a politically charged topic, with Madonna blasting Trump over his administration’s decision not to recognize World AIDS Day.

The CDC notes that HIV cannot be transmitted through casual contact, with the most common routes being sexual intercourse and sharing needles or drug injection equipment. Most people experience flu-like symptoms within two to four weeks of infection. Without treatment, HIV progresses through three stages, with the final stage being AIDS, when the immune system is severely damaged and the body becomes vulnerable to serious infections.

People with AIDS typically survive around three years without treatment. With treatment, however, people with HIV can reach an undetectable viral load, meaning they will not transmit the virus to others through sex. The CDC notes that getting to and maintaining an undetectable viral load is the most effective thing a person with HIV can do for their health.