Advocates Work To Change Medicare Policy For Kidney Transplant Patients.

CQ  (9/19, Norman, Subscription Publication) reports, "Advocates for people on kidney dialysis are continuing to push Congress to act this year on a bipartisan measure that would change Medicare policy to allow lifetime coverage of immunosuppressive drugs for kidney transplant patients." Currently, though dialysis has no time limit under Medicare, the plan only covers anti-rejection drugs after transplant surgery for 36 months in patients younger than 65. The time limit is in place because after three years, patients should be able to work and be insured privately. However, "Advocates say what actually happens is that these younger patients often can't get insurance, struggle to pay for the cost of the immunosuppressive drugs they need to keep their bodies from rejecting the transplant and end up back on dialysis." Dialysis Patient Citizens is working with Representative Michael C. Burgess (R-TX) and Representative Ron King (D-WI) on legislation designed to end the time limit for these drugs.