Patients who qualify for the federal kidney program receive coverage for dialysis and transplants, but once they get new organs, their coverage of immunosuppressive drugs only lasts for 36 months. That leaves them on the hook for hundreds of dollars worth of medication every month, and many of them cannot afford it, which endangers the health of their donor kidneys and sometimes puts them back on the transplant list. Medicare could solve this problem by providing immunosuppressive drug coverage for the life of the patient.
This is likely more cost-effective than dropping patients from coverage, as a steady supply of drugs keeps patients healthy and means they're less likely to need medical interventions. It's also the humane thing to do, as people are skipping doses, forgoing meals, and living in poverty to afford their supply of transplant drugs.
Photo: Dan
