Transplant Recipient & Music Legend Al B. Sure! & Global Civil Rights Leader Rev. Al Sharpton Announce New "Health Equity in Transplantation Coalition" to Oppose Medicare Cutbacks for Transplant Patient Blood Tests to Detect Early Signs of Organ Rejection that Disproportionately Impacts Minority and Underserved Communities

Al B! and Rev. Sharpton align with bipartisan members of Congress, transplant patients, and physicians from across the country calling for immediate reversal of Medicare cutbacks for blood tests caused by a sudden, March 2, 2023 announcement by a Medicare private contractor, reversing Medicare coverage of these blood tests going back six years

New Health Equity in Transplantation Coalition (HETC) is speaking on behalf of Black, Hispanic, and Latino Americans, and others in underserved communities to restore Medicare coverage for transplant patients

Former Republican House Speaker Newt Gingrich supports HETC goals to oppose any changes in longstanding Medicare coverage for transplant blood tests

WASHINGTON, Nov. 28, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Al B. Sure!, a successful 2022 organ transplant recipient and champion of the transplant patient community and universally celebrated multi-platinum recording artist, singer, songwriter, producer and syndicated radio host and Rev. Al Sharpton, a globally renowned civil rights and social justice leader, radio and TV show host, today announced the formation of the national "Healthy Equity in Transplantation Coalition." Al B! will serve as "Executive Chairman" of the Coalition, and Rev. Sharpton as "Senior Advisor." The purpose of the Coalition is to immediately reverse the March 2, 2023, restrictions on Medicare coverage of transplant patient blood tests to detect early signs of organ rejection.  

Contrary to coverage policies going back to 2017 for these blood tests, the sudden announcement on March 2nd by a private contractor, called a "Medicare Administrative Contractor" or "MAC," to tie Medicare coverage to an invasive, risky surgical biopsy has plummeted surveillance use of these transplant blood tests due to cancellations, delays, or plain confusion as to whether Medicare coverage would still be provided.   

"These blood tests are especially important to transplant patients in the Black, Hispanic, Latino, and underserved transplant communities," said Al B!, the songwriter, podcast host, health and wellness ambassador who received a life-saving liver transplant in the summer of 2022. "It makes no sense to take away Medicare coverage for these underserved transplant recipients who can take these blood tests at home. Rather than tying Medicare to an invasive biopsy that might require expensive travel, time off work for their patient and caregiver, and surgery in a hospital." 

Reverend Sharpton welcomed the support of former Republican Speaker Newt Gingrich for restoration of Medicare coverage for surveillance blood tests without ties to possible biopsies.  "Former Speaker Newt Gingrich and I worked together before in addressing the achievement gap in public education," he said. "The fact that Newt and I are in lock step agreement—along with a broad bipartisan group of transplant patients, physicians and members of Congress—demonstrates how extremely abhorrent these attempted rollbacks are. We especially appreciate the op-ed published this week by former Speaker Gingrich." 

Rev. Sharpton, who has a life-long history of defending the rights of the poor and underserved minority communities as founder of one of the nation's largest civil rights organizations, put it simply: "Black, Hispanic, Latino and underserved communities were given a lifeline with these non-invasive tests. That was taken away in March 2023, when a private company decided Medicare would no longer cover this life-saving measure for transplant recipients, who overwhelmingly come from these communities. It's time we reverse this decision and allow transplant recipients to have access to more and better tools – not less." 

Organ transplant care is critical for Black, Hispanic and Latino Americans, who together represent 40 percent of transplants in the U.S. — well above the 32 percent of the general U.S. population. With transplanted organs, each day is a fight against rejection. Half of all kidney transplants fail within 10 years and better innovation and better care is needed to help these patients. Compounding the issue is the massive organ shortage in the U.S. — a serious problem that disproportionally affects Black, Hispanic, and Latino Americans. An astounding 50 percent of those on the 100,000 person transplant waiting list are Black or Hispanic/Latino, making access to transplantation and equitable post-transplant care an important and growing issue in this community.

Coalition Executive Chair Al B! and Senior Advisor Rev. Sharpton are aligned with the reaction of transplant patients and the medical community across the nation, who voiced immediate opposition to the March 2023 change in coverage policy regarding blood tests.   

Letters have poured in since March 2023 by leading national professional transplant medical associations – the American Society of Transplant Surgeons, the American Society of Transplantation, and the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation - and by a national, grassroots transplant patient group, "Honor the Gift coalition" with 13-member organizations.  In August, a bipartisan letter signed by 14 members of the House of Representatives, led by Reps. Anna Eschoo (D-CA) and Dr. Michael Burgess (R-TX), expressing concerns about the March rollbacks was sent to CMS. In October, Reps. Eshoo and Burgess wrote a follow-up letter further pressing for answers on why Medicare contractors rolled back coverage without public comment and through a billing article.  The issue has gained national attention in Wall Street Journal editorials published on September 10, 22, and 26, calling out this decision and the need for further transparency.

Al B! and Rev. Sharpton expressed hope that, among others, the House Congressional Black Caucus would join their effort to restore Medicare coverage that pre-existed the March 2023 announced change that results in such a disproportionate adverse impact on the underserved. From December 4-6 hundreds of transplant recipients will convene in Washington, D.C. for a series of Hill activities ranging from meetings with congressional leaders to a press conference.

Press Contact: Rachel Noerdlinger, [email protected]

SOURCE Health Equity in Transplantation Coalition