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Alexandra Harrison-Flaxman—How a Transplant Recipient Became a Legislation Advocate

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“The passage of the Immuno Bill is not just a win for the patient community …” says Alexandra Harrison-Flaxman “… it’s a win because of the patient community.”

On December 22, 2020, the U.S. Senate passed S. 3353 – Comprehensive Immunosuppressive Drug Coverage for Kidney Transplants Patients Act of 2020 (The Immuno Bill).

Earlier, on December 8, 2020, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 5534, which set up the Senate vote.

The bi-partisan passage of the Immuno Bill now awaits the President’s signature.

Getting the bill passed has been Alexandra’s (“Alex’s”) passion for several years now and she says she cried when watching both the House and Senate pass the legislation.

“I was thinking, ‘This is crazy,’ I’ve just been a part of enacting actual change for kidney-transplant recipients,” says Alex, 34.

Read Alexandra’s full story, here.

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National Coalition of Kidney and Transplant Organizations Successfully Advocate for the Protection of Kidney Transplant Recipients

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“

WASHINGTON, D.C., December 21, 2020 – Honor the Gift, a national, patient-centered coalition dedicated to improving the lives of kidney transplant patients and honoring the gift of their donors, today celebrates the passage of the Comprehensive Immunosuppressive Drug Coverage for Kidney Transplant Patients Act of 2019 (H.R. 5534 / S. 3353).

This critical legislation, known to many in the community as the Immuno Bill, marks an important milestone in the history of American kidney care. For more than twenty years, patients, donors and their supporters have advocated for the extension of Medicare part B coverage of immunosuppressive medications for kidney transplant recipients. Thanks to the collaborative efforts of the Honor the Gift coalition and the entire kidney, donation and transplant community, Congress has finally taken action to honor the gift.”

Read the full press release, here.

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Kentuckians Need Congress to Approve Lifesaving Bill for Kidney Transplant Recipients

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“The COVID-19 public health emergency has revealed painful weaknesses, inefficiencies and inequalities in our health care system. As a result, the public is looking to elected leaders to enact policies that improve our health system, protect at-risk populations and allocate government resources more wisely. Fortunately, there is a bipartisan, common-sense proposal in Congress that could achieve all of those goals for a particularly vulnerable part of the American population: kidney transplant recipients.”

Read the full article, here.

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It’s time for Congress to keep its promise to kidney transplant patients

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“In 1972, as millions of Americans living with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) struggled to access care, Congress made a commitment to cover the rising costs of their treatment, including kidney transplant. Unfortunately, almost 50 years later, this commitment remains unfulfilled.

Kidney transplant patients must remain on immunosuppressive therapy for life or risk losing their transplant. For nearly two decades, the kidney, transplantation, and donation communities have been advocating to extend immunosuppressive medication coverage for kidney transplant patients beyond Medicare’s current three-year limit.”

Read the full article in POLITICO, here.

To take action and help Finish The Fight, contact your members of congress, here.

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American Kidney Fund Statement on CBO Score for H.R. 5534, Comprehensive Immunosuppressive Drug Coverage for Kidney Transplant Patients Act of 2020

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“The American Kidney Fund is pleased with the Congressional Budget Office’s (CBO) scoring of H.R. 5534, the Comprehensive Immunosuppressive Drug Coverage for Kidney Transplant Patients Act of 2020, which estimates the bill will reduce direct federal spending on Medicare benefits for some kidney transplant patients by $400 million over 10 years.

“H.R. 5534 will add a new Medicare coverage option solely to cover immunosuppressive drugs used by kidney transplant patients under age 65. People with transplants must take immunosuppressive drugs or their body will reject the transplanted organ. For people with a kidney transplant, the devastating impact of losing their kidney means they will have to go on dialysis or try to find another kidney-a daunting task with close to 100,000 people on the wait list.”

Read the full statement by AKF, here.

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