Medicare Coverage of Intestinal Transplants Begins

Under rules adopted last fall, Medicare on April 1 began paying for intestinal transplants at three government-approved transplant centers, the AP/Contra Costa Times reports. Medicare will cover the procedure for beneficiaries with intestinal failure who can no longer be fed through intravenous tubes. The procedure's cost varies on a case-by-case basis but is generally about $400,000. Although only 173 of the 75,000 Americans waiting for organ transplants need intestinal transplants, health officials said that Medicare's decision to cover such procedures is important because private insurers often "follow the government's lead when deciding what procedures to cover." Supporters also say the policy is a "big step in advancing donor awareness and medical technology." The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Jackson Memorial Transplant Center in Miami and the New York-based Mount Sinai Hospital have been approved to perform the procedure (McQueen, AP/Contra Costa Times, 4/2).