Bill Text: MI SR0025 | 2017-2018 | 99th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: A resolution to encourage the United States Congress to pass Medicare reforms to provide better care and benefits for recipients of kidney transplants.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2017-03-16 - Referred To Committee On Health Policy [SR0025 Detail]
Download: Michigan-2017-SR0025-Introduced.html
Senators Hood and Ananich offered the following resolution:
Senate Resolution No. 25.
A resolution to encourage the United States Congress to pass Medicare reforms to provide better care and benefits for recipients of kidney transplants.
Whereas, More than 661,000 Americans have kidney failure annually; nearly 500,000 of these people require dialysis. The remaining individuals are able to successfully receive a fully functioning kidney through a transplant operation; and
Whereas, The average medical costs associated with a kidney transplant in the United States is $100,000, along with an additional $15,000 in annual anti-rejection prescriptions that must be taken in order to preserve the viability of the transplant organ for the lifetime of the transplant recipient; and
Whereas, The average medical cost for dialysis treatment in the United States is $89,000 annually for the lifetime of the recipient. The Federal government, through Medicare, covers all costs associated with dialysis as well as kidney transplant operations and associated expenses for qualifying recipients. However, under current policies, coverage of anti-rejection prescriptions necessary to keep a transplanted kidney functional is only offered for three years following the transplant; and
Whereas, Under the current Medicare coverage structure, once three years has passed following a covered kidney transplant surgery, beneficiaries receiving a kidney transplant are often forced back onto dialysis because they cannot afford the prescriptions necessary to keep their kidney viable; and
Whereas, If the Federal government would continue to cover prescription costs after the third year following a kidney transplant, patients would not be forced back onto dialysis, saving Medicare an average of $74,000 annually, per patient, and drastically improving patient quality of life; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Senate, That we encourage the United States Congress to pass Medicare reforms to provide better care and benefits for recipients of kidney transplants; and be it further
Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, and the members of the Michigan congressional delegation.
