By Anne Christine Beaubrun
There are currently over 570,000 end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients in the United States and the rapidly increasing incidence of the disease presents an important public health concern.1 Securing long-term insurance coverage for immunosuppressive medications is a tremendous concern for ESRD patients who have undergone a kidney transplant. With the rare exception of a transplant from an identical twin, all transplant recipients require immunosuppressive therapy for the rest of their lives or for the life of the allograft.2,3 Currently, Medicare abruptly terminates coverage of immunosuppressive medications after 36 months post-transplantation for patients whose Medicare entitlement was based solely on their … Read More