Politics of drug coverage for transplantation

Currently, Medicare covers 80% cost of immunosuppressive medications up to 3 years after transplantation in those patients who are Medicare eligible because of ESRD. American Society of Transplantation (AST) and transplant community have been advocating for extending coverage beyond 3 years. However, despite showing evidence for long term benefit of incurring short term expense to extend coverage, this has not become a reality yet. Just published cJASN article by David Cohen and Barbara Murphy (immediate past president of AST) outlines the politics behind the exclusion of transplant drug coverage provision in the recent Affordable Health Care for Americans Act and how powerful lobby of mighty dialysis industry trumped the long overdue coverage for transplant recipients.