HEALTH EQUITY IN TRANSPLANTATION COALITION
Restoring Medicare Coverage for Transplant Patient Blood Tests to Detect Early Signs of Organ Rejection
New limits on vital non-invasive blood tests for organ transplant recipients are putting lives at risk!
For transplant patients, each day is a fight against rejection – and now, to make matters even more difficult for transplant patients and their loved ones, restrictions have been placed on Medicare coverage of transplant patient blood tests that detect early signs of organ rejection.
The rollback announcement, which was made on March 2, 2023, by a private contractor, called a “Medicare Administrative Contractor” or “MAC,” to tie Medicare coverage to an invasive, risky surgical biopsy, has plummeted surveillance use of these transplant blood tests due to cancellations, delays, or plain confusion as to whether Medicare coverage would still be provided.
Transplant patients in the Black, Hispanic, Latino, and underserved transplant communities are disproportionately impacted by the Biden administration’s Medicare rollbacks of these life-saving blood tests.
Help us restore and protect access to vital non-invasive blood tests for organ transplant patients.
UPDATE: CMS Reinstates Medicare Coverage for Lifesaving Post-Transplant Blood Tests, Removing March 2023 Requirement for Biopsy
Meet Our Leadership.
Press Releases.
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Al. B Sure! in Today’s NY Daily News: Closing Vital NYC Infrastructure as Part of $16 Billion Construction Project Will Put Organ Transplant Patients in Jeopardy
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Al B. Sure! and Rev. Al Sharpton Respond to CMS’s Decision to Reinstate Medicare Coverage for Lifesaving Post-Transplant Blood Tests, Removing March 2023 Requirement for Biopsy
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Al B. Sure! Applauds Kick Off 2024 Transplant Games Of America as Fight to Close Access Gap Continues
News Articles.
The Facts About Organ Transplant Care.
Organ transplant care is critical for Black, Hispanic and Latino Americans, who together,
in 2022, accounted for more than 41% of transplants in the U.S., while only
representing 32.7% of the general U.S. population.
Studies show:
4 in 10 heart transplant patients will experience some type of rejection in the first year
post-transplant.
10-20% of kidney transplant patients will experience at least one episode of rejection.
For lung transplant patients, the 5-year survival rate is reported at 58%.
There is a massive organ shortage in the U.S. — a serious problem that disproportionately affects Black, Hispanic, and Latino Americans. An astounding 50% of those on the 100,000 person transplant waiting list are Black, Hispanic or Latino.
About The Health Equity in Transplantation Coalition.
The Health Equity in Transplantation Coalition, which is dedicated to advocating for improved transplant care access for all Americans, is focused on providing a voice for Black, Hispanic, and Latino Americans, and others in underserved communities, to restore Medicare coverage for vital non-invasive transplant patient blood tests that detect early signs of organ rejection.
Contact Us.
Media inquiries: HETC@actumllc.com General inquiries: AlBSure@equityfortransplants.org