We urge you to Support the passage of the Comprehensive Immunosuppressive Drug Coverage for Kidney Transplant Patients Act

Background:

The Comprehensive Immunosuppressive Drug Coverage for Kidney Transplant Patients Act currently includes 53 co-sponsors in the House of Representatives and 10 co-sponsors in the Senate. The House bill was introduced by Congressman Michael Burgess (R-TX) and Ron Kind (D-WI). The Senate bill was introduced by Senators Richard Durbin (D-IL) and Thad Cochran (R-MS). The legislation has broad support from all transplant stakeholders and no known opposition. For more than ten years the legislation has enjoyed bipartisan and bicameral support.

According to a recent article in the New England Journal of Medicine, the US policy concerning immunosuppressive drug coverage differs from other industrialized countries, such as Australia, Canada, and the U.K, and as a result, long-term survival rates are substantially higher in those countries than the U.S., where coverage ends after three years. This legislation,which is S. 1454/H.R. 2969, The Comprehensive Immunosuppressive Drug Coverage for Kidney Transplant Patients Act, was introduced in the House by our own Texas Congressman, Dr. Michael Burgess (R-TX) and Ron Kind (D-Wisc). The Senate bill was introduced by Senators Richard Durbin (D-IL) and Thad Cochran (R-MS).

What Can You Do?

  1. Call the U.S. Capitol Switchboard at (202)224-3121
  2. Ask to be transferred to the offices of your Members of Congress (You have 3 of them)
  3. Once you are transferred, ask to speak with the Congressional office's Health Care Legislative Assistant.
  4. Request or leave a message indicating that as a transplant professional, from the Member's Congressional district or state, that you strongly urge the Member of Congress to co-sponsor House bill H.R. 2969 or Senate Bill S.1454.

To find out the names of your U.S. Representative or 2 U.S. Senators, go online to www.congress.org and enter your zip code and secure the names of your elected officials. Please note, you can also email them from the congress.org web site, if you prefer to email rather than call.