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According to current law, Medicare pays for the dialysis treatment of patients with end-stage renal disease, for kidney transplantations in eligible recipients, and for 3 years of immunosuppressive therapy post-transplantation (or lifetime coverage if 65+ or disabled). Lifetime immunosuppressive therapy is necessary to maintain a functioning transplanted kidney, but the high cost of treatment leads to nonadherence and transplant failure. Patient outcomes are significantly worse in these cases, as is the overall cost to Medicare. Please write your congressional representative and ask him or her to support H.R. 2969.
$75,000 - Annual cost to Medicare of dialysis treatment
$110,000 - Initial cost to Medicare of kidney transplantation
$15,000 - Annual cost of immunosuppressive therapy
http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMp1114394
"The potential for cost savings through lifetime drug coverage is supported by empirical data. . . . Unsurprisingly, economic analyses also confirm that providing lifetime funding for immunosuppressive medications would lower overall costs saving an estimated $200 million annually with the greatest impact seen among patients least able to pay.
. . .
[A proposed amendment to the Social Security Act, H.R. 2969, is before Congress and would grant lifelong coverage beyond the current 3 year coverage for immunosuppressive medications to all kidney-transplant recipients in the United States.] H.R. 2969 represents a key opportunity to correct an irrational, needlessly wasteful policy that has harmed many U.S. patients. Its passage would achieve three important objectives: protect Medicare's investment in each renal allograft, help bring U.S. kidney-transplant outcomes up to par with those in other developed countries, and most important, save the lives of people with kidney failure."
$75,000 - Annual cost to Medicare of dialysis treatment
$110,000 - Initial cost to Medicare of kidney transplantation
$15,000 - Annual cost of immunosuppressive therapy
http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMp1114394
"The potential for cost savings through lifetime drug coverage is supported by empirical data. . . . Unsurprisingly, economic analyses also confirm that providing lifetime funding for immunosuppressive medications would lower overall costs saving an estimated $200 million annually with the greatest impact seen among patients least able to pay.
. . .
[A proposed amendment to the Social Security Act, H.R. 2969, is before Congress and would grant lifelong coverage beyond the current 3 year coverage for immunosuppressive medications to all kidney-transplant recipients in the United States.] H.R. 2969 represents a key opportunity to correct an irrational, needlessly wasteful policy that has harmed many U.S. patients. Its passage would achieve three important objectives: protect Medicare's investment in each renal allograft, help bring U.S. kidney-transplant outcomes up to par with those in other developed countries, and most important, save the lives of people with kidney failure."
