Cash Grass or Ass, Nobody rides for free.

[Simon Dog]

There is an old saying "Cash, Grass or Ass, nobody rides for free".

There is a very interesting article on this concept in Helio (https://www.healio.com/nephrology/transplantation/news/online/%7Be0079598-f090-4796-ab74-a850b35b72b0%7D/early-loss-of-immunosuppressive-drug-coverage-linked-to-graft-failure) that states:

Patients with a kidney transplant who lose immunosuppressive drug coverage through Medicare before and after the scheduled 3 year end to eligibility show a much higher rate of graft failure than those who have continued coverage, a new study shows.

and

When recipients matched by age and donor risk who lost Medicare coverage were compared to recipients who had not lost coverage, the hazard of allograft loss was 990% to 1,630% higher after early Medicare loss, and 140% to 740% higher after late Medicare loss, with no difference in the hazard for on‐time Medicare loss, the researchers reported.

A simple but profound statement on medicine in the USA.  And to think that paying for kidneys is "immoral and against public policy", but letting grafts die because of the high drug prices is acceptable.

[PrimeTimer]

One of the nurses looking after me in the hospital had worked 25 years for a Neph as a Transplant Nurse. I was shocked that she did not know this. I wonder how many other hard working dedicated life-saving personnel do not know about this. She gave me this look as if she needed me to share my oxygen tube with her.

[iolaire]

Sometimes I see criticism of transplant programs because they will not offer kidneys to patients who don’t meet their financial requirements - this is the reason why.

The lack of compassion basic health care needs here in the US is astounding. Time and time again any drive for universal health care in this country is shut down - most recently with the attack’s on the Affordable Care Act rather than seeking real improvements.

[GA_DAWG]

Someone needs to explain to me the logic behind performing a $100,000 transplant and then refusing to cover the drugs required to make it successful. The healthcare system as designed by the insurance companies, their lobbyists and those to whom they contribute is ridiculous. Of course this is a ridiculous decision of the part of Medicare, but then again, look at the clowns we elect to make the rules.

[Charlie B53]

I suspect one of our biggest problems is we keep those 'clowns' in office, instead of imposing a 'Voter Term Limit' and replacing them at EVERY Election.

And far far too many fail to even bother to vote.

Get your butt to the polls!

And get on everyone else to go vote.

[Rerun]

Medicare is for those over 65....    Then it was added in the 70's  For those with ESRD.  I started sucking off Medicare at age 26.  I'm now 57.  I am thankful for Medicare.  ESRD patients were included. Those over 65 had to scoot over. Do you think if you get a transplant and Medicare covers you for 3 years you can go get a JOB and buy your own damn drugs?  When I got my transplant in 1987 there wasn't even 3 years.  Now you want it all.  What??

Give a mouse a cookie and..... he is going to want a glass of milk.  Give him a glass of milk and he is going to want a straw......     GREED!!!!

[cassandra]

Medicare is for those over 65....    Then it was added in the 70's  For those with ESRD.  I started sucking off Medicare at age 26.  I'm now 57.  I am thankful for Medicare.  ESRD patients were included. Those over 65 had to scoot over. Do you think if you get a transplant and Medicare covers you for 3 years you can go get a JOB and by your own damn drugs?  When I got my transplant in 1987 there wasn't even 3 years.  Now you want it all.  What??

Give a mouse a cookie and..... he is going to want a glass of milk.  Give him a glass of milk and he is going to want a straw......     GREED!!!!

Wow Rerun, I happen to disagree totally with you. It is cheaper to keep a transplant patient with graft and meds alive than it is to keep a dialysis patient not dead on D




 

[Rerun]

I agree that it is more expensive to keep a person on dialysis and our Medicare system who was created for those over 65 is going broke.  I just feel bad for taking from a fund that was made for our older generation to live, and now they are going broke.  If I ever win the lottery or get a massive inheritance, I'm paying back Medicare.  I feel guilty every time I hear that medicare is going broke. 

Medicare now pays for 3 years of anti-rejection drugs....  Now you want it ALL.  I want more   I want more.   

Let's just have Medicare for all for FREE.  See how long dialysis even lasts. 

It was easy for DaVita to close our nocturnal shift.  Sorry, sink or swim bu-bye.  It will be easy for them to close the doors too.  I've seen it first hand.  Get everyone at the HOG trough and the older weaker ones get shoved out. 

We were lucky enough to even get medicare to pay for our disease.  Heart patients under 65 don't get medicare.  Cancer patients under 65 don't get it.  But, they took us in so we could live.  Then transplants came along and Medicare paid for that.  Then anti-rejection drugs were added for 3 years, and the old people keep moving over.  Now you want Medicare for life.  Don't you think we have taken over Medicare.  They are going broke.  Because of us.  Makes me sad. 

People tell me "well you paid into it for 20 years".  I've sucked up way more then I ever paid in.  Medicare pays a minimum of $3,000 a month for me.  Just me. 

I hope I win the lottery.

[Charlie B53]

My problem isn't really with Social Security or with Medicare, it is with Congress that decided to give both to so many illegals and immigrants that never paid a dime into the systems.

Add that Congress passed their own measure to allow them to raid the Social Security fund without any plans to repapy the money they took.

What other 'funds' have they mis-appropriated that we still do not know about?

Most of our budget problems are simply aged Congress that refuses to solve problems other than to increase taxes so they can spend like drunken sailors.

Vote the ALL out!

[GA_DAWG]

I remember when doing what was fiscally smart was considered the prudent path to take, when punishing people for the decisions they had made or for their inability to pay was not the primary motivation. It is cheaper to keep a person alive on anti-rejection drugs than it is to keep them on dialysis. Period, End of story. That used to pass for fiscal conservatism. What is the more prudent thing to do, do it. I admit to being more fortunate in my upbringing and my life. I also know that I was always taught, both at home, in church, and by mentors that it was everyone's responsibility to give back as it was possible. I never asked for any tax cuts and used those I received to try to help.  I don't need to ask for more, more, more. However,  am also aware that there are those who are less fortunate, who need that help. It makes no sense to provide a transplant and then refuse to follow through with the necessary treatments. If they can pay, so e it. However, I am also aware that those drugs are EXTREMELY high priced and that many of those who rant about wanting people to pay, also do not support the law that makes it mandatory that people with pre-existing conditions be allowed to purchase insurance. Sorry, but most jobs are not going to support a couple thousand dollars a month drug habit to keep them from rejecting a transplant. It may be considered a political rant, but the whole get a job BS that seems to run our country right now is just that, BS. As to people who never paid into the system, I would agree, they should not be eligible and that our government spends on so many things, I wonder if ANYONE knows all of them. My opinion of Congress has always been that, for the most part, they are lawyers who were unable to make a living being lawyers and so ran for Congress.

[Charlie B53]

My opinion of Congress has always been that, for the most part, they are lawyers who were unable to make a living being lawyers and so ran for Congress.

LOL   Most likely correct!

Which is why we have to talk to everyone we know and meet, convince them NOTHING is going to change as long as these people stay in Congress.  It is our DUTY to Vote them OUT.

I don't care which party the new guy is, he has to be better than the ones than have been in there 40 years.

Voter imposed term limits.

Make it happen.

[Simon Dog]

My opinion of Congress has always been that, for the most part, they are lawyers bartenders who were unable to make a living being lawyersbarkeeps and so ran for Congress.

Fixed it for you.

[Michael Murphy]

I think paying for years of dialysis followed by the cost of a transplant then three years of antirejection drugs only to havoc start paying for dialysis again is stupid.  Especially with the big pharma drug rip offs,  diabetics are traveling to Canada every month for reasonable priced insulin getting to be close to 500 dollars a vial in US and about 25 dollars a vial in Canada.

[Rerun]

Transplants..... only kidney get 3 years of medicare.  Heart no, Liver, no, etc...   

Why not get all transplants 3 years.  Nope, too worried about yourself and you want lifelong drugs.  Who cares about the old people who let us in.  Who cares about any other transplant who has the same drugs.

Maybe bring the outrageous  costs down so we could all afford it.  Oh, because there would still be the ones that want it for free.  Good Grief! 

[Simon Dog]

The US Govt should establish a "best customer" policy for US consumers, similar to the policy in GSA purchasing contracts.  A BC policy is simply a guarantee that no other buyer is getting a better deal.   Do that and foreign prices will increase while US prices drop.

[GA_DAWG]

No, but this IS a site about dialysis, which kind of explains the emphasis on Kidneys. I would agree that all transplants should get the same treatment as kidneys do. I'm still not sure who the old people who let us in are that you reference. My people have been here for centuries now. Those old people are long gone and I always felt the best way to honor them was to defend the nation they left us, no the I got mine now you get yours beliefs of late.