Senate passes bill providing lifetime kidney transplant drug coverage to all recipients
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The U.S. Senate voted in favor of legislation that extends Medicare coverage of immunosuppressants to all kidney transplant recipients, regardless of age, and ensures these medications are covered for life.
The decision comes 2 weeks after the bill was passed by the U.S. House of Representatives.
In a statement, the National Kidney Foundation commended what the organization deemed a decision that can save lives and taxpayer money.
“Kidney transplant patients must take immunosuppressive drugs for the life of their transplant to help prevent organ rejection,” the NKF wrote. “Skipping even one dose will increase the chance of organ failure. But when the current 36-month Medicare coverage for this life-saving medication ends, patients are forced to make a choice between paying for their transplant medications or paying the rent; it’s a choice nobody should have to make.”
“The National Kidney Foundation sincerely thanks the administration for their strong backing of this legislation that will greatly help our nation’s kidney transplant recipients,” the group wrote.
LaVarne A. Burton, president and CEO of the American Kidney Fund, also released a statement in which she expressed support for two other components of the legislation.
“We applaud Congress for including two other crucial provisions for kidney patients in the package: protecting patients from surprise medical bills by requiring providers and insurers to dispute and settle claims directly; and ensuring access to Medicaid non-emergency medical transportation (NEMT) for critical services including dialysis treatment and COVID-19 testing,” she said.
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