I got this in my email 2 days ago from Zimmerman:
Health Care Reform Update More Info With Senate approval of health care reform on March 25, 2010, we wanted to highlight some of the provisions contained in the underlying bill and in the corrections bill (or "reconciliation bill"). (The legislation signed by President Obama on March 23, 2010 was the underlying health reform bill and identical to what the Senate passed on December 24, 2009; the corrections bill made changes to the underlying bill, under agreement with House and Senate leaders.)
The National Kidney Foundation (NKF) did not advocate for or against a specific health care reform bill throughout the process. However, we signed various letters of support on specific provisions (such as eliminating lifetime benefit caps) that were coordinate by coalitions and organizations. We believe that the legislation will benefit Americans with kidney disease or at risk of developing it. Here are some of the well-known features of the health care reform package that should have a positive impact on the population we serve.
1- Enhanced access to health insurance for individuals who are identified as having pre-existing medical conditions (including living organ donors) and who have been barred from coverage, or who could only obtain health insurance with premiums they cannot afford.
2- Elimination of annual and lifetime caps on the cost of services that health insurance will cover. (This could ensure continued access to care and to all treatment options for individuals who have been on dialysis for several years and received two or more kidney transplants.)
3- Reduction in out of pocket expenses for Medicare beneficiaries who have prescription drug coverage through Part D, by closing the "coverage gap" or "donut hole" by 2020, beginning next year.
4- Health insurance premium assistance for individuals or families earning less than 400% of Federal Poverty Level (approximately $88,000 a year for a family of four).
5- An estimated 31 million fewer Americans will be uninsured by 2019 than what would have occurred without reform, resulting in 94% of non-elderly having coverage (this estimate excludes unauthorized immigrants).
6- Prevention services expanded to include coverage of annual wellness visits.
7- Most coinsurance requirements for Medicare prevention services and wellness programs are eliminated.
8- Medicare Accountable Care Organizations created to better coordinate care.
Many of you monitored our efforts to expand Medicare coverage of immunosuppressive drugs for kidney recipients. NKF pursued a concerted effort, with many other organizations representing transplant candidates, recipients, and health care professionals, to leverage the health care reform movement in order to obtain relief from the 36 month limitation on Medicare coverage of the medications needed to prevent transplant rejection. The initiative bore fruit when a provision to expand Medicare coverage for these expensive immunosuppressive medications was included in the health care reform bill approved on the floor of the U. S. House of Representatives in November, 2009. However, the immunosuppressive provision was not contained in the Senate passed bill in December, nor was it included in the "corrections" or reconciliation package that the Senate approved on March 25, 2010. Nonetheless, we are optimistic this is only a temporary setback, as evidenced by the House support in November.
We are committed to pursue every opportunity, whether this year or next, to achieve this extension of Medicare coverage for transplant medications. The gradual expansion of Medicare benefits for transplant recipients over the last 25 years gives us further confidence that we will be able to claim victory in the near future. We hope we can count on every member of the NKF Board of Directors and our professional and patient advocates in our efforts to meet this challenge.
We will monitor the implementation of the health reform provisions to make sure that individuals with kidney disease or at risk of developing it will achieve the maximum benefit from these positive developments. If you have any questions about the legislation, please contact Dolph Chianchiano or Troy Zimmerman
Thank you.
See this link for email addresses:
http://capwiz.com/kidney/utr/1/ATWYMHDCZY/NOEIMHDDQT/4931793576
