New Hope for Kidney Recipients and Incentives for Donors to GIve Back

New Hope for Kidney Recipients and Incentives for Donors to Give Back.

7/11/2019

Author: 777 Media Source



   This past Wednesday, President Trump signed an executive order which is designed to improve treatments of kidney disease as well as increase the opportunity for and availability of organs for transplants. According to Alex Azar, Health and Human Services Secretary, the purpose of the executive order is to boost organ donations which along with kidneys also includes intestines and livers from living and deceased donors. The order is also meant to incite and excite dialysis treatment clinics to perform treatments in patients’ homes.

   At the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center on Wednesday Trump stated,

    “Dialysis is like a full-time job.”

   He went on to assure his seriousness of the order by saying,

    “Patients and families are all impacted by kidney disease. We’re with you every step of the way.”

   According to the Washington Examiner, prior to the signing of the order Azar told reporters that live donors would be eligible to receive federal compensation for their organ donation as well as childcare for time spent in the hospital. He was quoted saying,

  “We’re also making new efforts to address the financial efforts for donors, with federal compensation and childcare.”

   The goal of federal funding to donors and recipients is to minimize the transplant waiting list.  Although procedures are already paid for by the government, the cost of travel and child care is paid for by the donors and/or recipients. This is in addition to the loss of any missed wages while in surgery and recovery. By offering federal compensation, this reliefs both parties from expenses related to undergoing transplant procedures.

   Azar is reported as saying that he believes this will make a significant dent in the long and continuously growing transplant list aside from the purpose of increasing kidney disease awareness and a shortage of organs. Before signing the executive order Trump said,

    “17,000 people could receive kidneys.”  “And we think it could be even higher than that ...  With other organs [including the liver, lung, intestine], that would be about 28,000 American lives saved each year and that could be higher.”

   In the past, Organ Procurement Organizations have been charged with utilizing organs that come from the deceased. The executive order is also meant to hold the 58 organizations (responsible for finding organs to be transplanted) accountable in their efforts. Statistics show that 115,000 Americans are on an organ waitlist and each year between 6,000-8,000 people on that list will not receive their transplant and ultimately pass from their diseases.

   Unfortunately many transplant centers limit the number of organs that can be transplanted. This is due to risk levels of spreading illnesses from the diseased to the recipient. For example, if an available kidney is from a donor who also was infected with Hepatitis C, the kidney would not be usable due to the possibility the infection may be transmitted to the recipient. In some cases dialysis is the only option while waiting for an organ to be donated. Unfortunately, the cost of dialysis treatments are very costly and can reach around $70,000 in house and about $53,000 at home, per person.

   Trump stated,

    “Dialysis from home is long overdue.”

   He went on to say,

   “But now we’re getting it done.”

   It’s reported that Trump’s plan will alter the payment models of Da Vita and Fresenius dialysis clinics. Currently Medicare pays for dialysis treatments but the Trump administration says that offering peritoneal dialysis has the potential to save the government millions of dollars. It is also said that Medicare providers will be encouraged to monitor at risk patients more closely in order to prevent end-stage renal disease.

   Trump boasted that in addition to saving the federal government millions,

    “My executive order will improve the quality of life of kidney patients.”

   As the President sat to sign the executive order he stated, 

    “This is a first, second, and third step, but we’re going to make progress here that many people wouldn’t even believe.”

   In a press call on Wednesday morning, Azar reportedly said that the Trump administration plans to double to number of available kidneys (both artificial and from live donors) by 2030. Trump also confirmed that researchers are working to create viable, reliable artificial kidneys. It may be a long 10 years before we see any large improvements but it’s a wait well worth the outcome.

Source:
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/trump-signs-executive-order-to-overhaul-organ-transplantation-system