We could use Your Help

Would you please take 5 minutes to contact one or both of our Alaska Senators, Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan, to ask them to support S. 3353. There is more contact information at the bottom of the post with handy links.

The Comprehensive Immunosuppressive Drug Coverage for Kidney Transplant Patients Act of 2020 would extend Medicare coverage of immunosuppressive drugs beyond the current limit of 36 months for patients who are unable to obtain health insurance coverage elsewhere. Contact our Senators today and ask them to support S. 3353.

Right now, after a dialysis patient receives a transplant, if they are under the age of 65 they are only eligible to remain on Medicare for an additional 36 months. After this three-year period, many transplant patients are unable to find affordable health insurance coverage and struggle to pay for the anti-rejection medications. As a result, these financial challenges unnecessarily put kidney transplant recipients at risk of rejecting a perfectly healthy kidney and starting back on dialysis. Allowing transplant patients to maintain their Medicare coverage for immunosuppressive drugs beyond the current limit will save the government money by keeping patients from losing a successful transplant and starting back on dialysis, not to mention the immeasurable impact on patient care and quality of life.

Contact our Senators, Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan, today and ask them to support S. 3353.

HR3554 passed the House earlier this month. The bill would help provide kidney transplant recipients what I would call an extended prescription benefit through Medicare if they don’t have insurance to pay for their anti-rejection medicines, they need to take to keep from rejecting their kidney.

Lisa Murkowski

Dan Sullivan

The Congressional Budget Office report on HR5534 can be found here: https://www.cbo.gov/system/files/2020-11/hr5534.pdf

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