As Key Health Vote Draws Near, AST Pushes Senate to Say 'Yes' to Transplant Drug ExtensionAST Delivers Letter to Senate Leadership
WASHINGTON, Oct. 8 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- As the Senate Finance Committee prepares to vote on the amended health care reform package, members of the American Society of Transplantation (AST) arrived on Capitol Hill armed with a letter encouraging the Senate to adopt a health care provision that will extend Medicare's coverage of post-transplant drugs, which are critical to maintaining the health of the transplant patient. Immunosuppressive drugs are currently covered for a period of 36 months. Because the drugs are so costly, when coverage is exhausted, many kidney recipients have no choice but to go without medication, thereby compromising their health and the viability of the transplanted organ. The House has included the provision to extend coverage in its health reform bill. AST is pushing the Senate to do the same.
The AST letter, which can be read by going to
www.a-s-t.org, states that the provision will allow kidney recipients to maintain their life-saving donor organ and will reduce overall Medicare Program costs, as the drugs are less costly than dialysis. Ultimately, extended immunosuppressive drug coverage is better for patients and cost effective for taxpayers.
About AST
The American Society of Transplantation is an international organization of transplant professionals dedicated to advancing the field of transplantation through the promotion of research, education, advocacy, and organ donation to improve patient care. The Society comprises more than 3,000 transplant physicians, surgeons and allied health professionals.
For information about AST, visit
www.a-s-t.org.
CONTACT: BETH DROST
(215) 884-6499
beth@comsolutionsgroup.com
SOURCE The American Society of Transplantation
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/as-key-health-vote-draws-near-ast-pushes-senate-to-say-yes-to-transplant-drug-extension-63788687.html
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