Jason Smith: “I thank the gentlewoman for yielding. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 2477, which includes some…”

“I thank the gentlewoman for yielding. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 2477, which includes some legislation to improve Medicare coverage for kidney transplant recipients. The Trump administration has made increasing rates of kidney transplantation a priority. It is more cost-effective than dialysis and results in a dramatic increase in the quality of life for ESRD patients. However, these patients must continue taking medication for the remainder of their life so that they don't reject their organs. Currently, Medicare will only cover the cost of these drugs for 36 months after a kidney transplant. Patients who do not have health insurance or lose their insurance coverage have to choose between paying thousands of dollars a month out of pocket or risk the chance of rejection of their organs. If organ rejection does occur, these patients must once again endure the painful, time-consuming, and expensive dialysis treatments paid for by the Medicare program. By simply paying for the cost of these drugs and preventing patients from crashing back into dialysis, the Federal Government can save hundreds of millions of dollars and improve thousands of lives. We should not allow such unnecessary waste and suffering to occur. These Americans should not have to worry about how they will afford the cost of the medications that allow them to live a completely normal life.…”