Press Conference on Capitol Hill December 5
Hundreds of transplant patients, physicians, and health equity advocates expect to rally on Capitol Hill on Tuesday, December 5 to ask President Joe Biden and HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra: “Urgently intervene! Stop private contractors from rolling back Medicare coverage for crucial transplant blood tests before it is too late.”
Medicare changes announced in March 2023 have alarmed transplant patients and clinicians, causing significant decline in crucial blood test use to detect early signs of organ transplant rejection.
Bipartisan leaders unite: Representative Don Bacon, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, and Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich express grave concern over private contractors rolling back transplant blood test coverage despite CMS denials of any changes, and notable decline in patient testing
Universally celebrated recording artist and transplant patient Al B. Sure! and civil rights and social justice leader, Rev. Al Sharpton joining the cause and fighting for minorities and the underserved who are disproportionately affected by these rollbacks.
(Washington, D.C.) - Honor the Gift, a coalition representing organ transplant patients across the nation, will be joined by New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, Representative Don Bacon (R-NE), Newt Gingrich, the American Association of Kidney Patient’s (AAKP) Chair of Policy and Global Affairs Paul T. Conway, Al B Sure!, Executive Chairman of the newly formed “Health Equity in Transplantation Coalition,” Rev. Al Sharpton, Senior Advisor, and other leaders in the transplant field, to hold a press conference on December 5, 2023 in the Cannon Caucus Room on Capitol Hill in Washington D.C.
The Honor the Gift patient coalition and transplant patient allies will call on the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra, and President Joe Biden to put an immediate stop to the current attempt by private contractors to rollback Medicare coverage of vital post-transplant blood tests that aid physicians in detecting organ injury or rejection when there may still be time to save the organ and ultimately, the patient’s life.
Transplant patients and clinician groups are making two simple requests: 1.) Cancel or “rescind” the March policy changes, and; 2.) Stop all ongoing attempts to change Medicare coverage from the 2021 policy, which did not tie Medicare coverage of surveillance or routine blood tests to biopsies.
WHEN
Tuesday, December 5, 2023
2:00 pm EST
WHERE
Cannon Caucus Room (Room 390)
Cannon House Office Building
Washington, D.C.
WHO
U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, representing New York and co-sponsor of the Living Donor Protection Act
U.S. Congressman Don Bacon, representing Nebraska’s 2nd district, whose Chief of Staff had a liver transplant in 2022
Clinicians
Steven Potter, MD, Professor of Surgery, Georgetown University School of Medicine
Kiran Kaur Khush, MD, Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine and Heart Failure Cardiologist at Stanford University
Albert J. Hicks III MD, MPH, Section Chief Advanced Heart Failure & Transplant. University of Maryland School of Medicine
Patient Advocates
Al B. Sure!, Executive Chairman of the Health Equity in Transplantation Coalition
Paul T. Conway, a 26-year kidney transplant recipient and the American Association of Kidney Patient’s Chair of Policy and Global Affairs
Newt Gingrich, Former Speaker of the House (virtual)
Bill Ryan, President & CEO of Transplant Life Foundation
Rev. Al Sharpton, Sr. Advisor, Health Equity in Transplantation Coalition (virtual)
Additional transplant patients and advocates
WHY
In March, transplant patients’ regular care was disrupted when a private contractor of Medicare called “MolDX” came between them and their trusted doctors and published an “Article” which tied coverage of non-invasive blood tests to invasive biopsies.
Medicare coverage for these innovative blood tests became available for transplant patients starting in 2006, with coverage expanding in 2017, and in 2021 the coverage policy explicitly stated that these blood tests could occur on a routine, “surveillance” basis and were not tied to a biopsy. The alternative for such blood tests is surgical biopsy procedures, which are more expensive, riskier, and burdensome.
For years, transplant doctors could rely on their medical expertise and advanced blood tests to monitor organ transplant injury or rejection, safeguarding patients from invasive biopsies. The policy changes introduced by MolDX in March, which were made without gathering public input, jeopardize patients' health by significantly limiting a physician's ability to detect early indicators of injury or rejection, while there is still time to intervene.
In August and September, private contractors allowed for a public comment process, where they heard from deeply concerned physicians and patients who have not received their regularly schedule tests and fear for their lives. Now, as Medicare reviews the comments and determines the final decision on coverage, the transplant community is fearful their voices have been ignored and are making a public plea to the Administration.
To tune in virtually, join the Zoom webinar: https://ushr.zoomgov.com/j/1601607710