Press Conference: Hundreds of transplant patients, physicians, and health equity advocates expected 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."

WHEN: 

Tuesday, December 5, 2023
2:00 pm EST

WHERE:

Caucus Room, Cannon House Office Building
27 Independence Ave SE, Washington, DC 20003

WHO: 

U.S. Congressman Don Bacon, representing Nebraska's 2nd district, whose Chief of Staff had a liver transplant in 2022

Clinicians: 

• Steven Potter, MD, Chair of Legislative and Regulatory Committee, American Society of Transplant Surgeons, 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:

• Paul T. Conway, a 26-year  kidney transplant recipient and the American Association of Kidney Patient's Chair of Policy and Global Affairs
• Bill Ryan, President & CEO of Transplant Life Foundation
• Al B Sure!, Executive Chairman of the Health Equity in Transplantation Coalition
• Rev. Al Sharpton, Sr. Advisor, Health Equity in Transplantation Coalition
• 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.