Donald Riegle: “I rise once again in my effort to put a face on the health care crisis in our country. Today, I would like to share the…”

“I rise once again in my effort to put a face on the health care crisis in our country. Today, I would like to share the story of Jessica Alagna, a 5 rac{1}{2}-year-old child from DeWitt, MI. Two months ago surgeons performed an intestinal transplant on Jessica to correct a birth defect. The transplant cost $500,000. It saved her life, but because her health insurance considers it to be an experimental procedure they refuse to cover the transplant or any of her care. Jessica's story has received a lot of attention in my home State of Michigan due to the work of the nonprofit foundation, Jessica & Friends. Jessica was born on September 11, 1988, with her intestines knotted outside of her body, a rare condition called omphalocele. Emergency surgery 7 hours after birth saved her life. After 11 days in the hospital, Jessica was able to go home with her mother, only to have to return for many additional surgeries to remove infection in her intestines. Jessica was left with only 8 percent of her intestine remaining. Until her transplant Jessica was unable to eat solid food. For her entire 5 rac{1}{2} years of life the only way she could get food was through extremely expensive nutritional supplements supplied through a permanent catheter. Although these supplements kept Jessica alive, they caused extensive liver damage and other complications.”