Be The Match, in partnership with the American Society for Transplantation and Cellular Therapy (ASTCT), formerly the American Society for Blood and Marrow Transplant (ASBMT), is working closely with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to expand current Medicare coverage. Currently, Medicare only covers transplants for:
- Leukemia, leukemia in remission, or aplastic anemia when it is reasonable and necessary
- Severe combined immunodeficiency disease (SCID) and Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome
- Myelodysplastic Syndromes (MDS) pursuant to Coverage with Evidence Development (CED), which requires data collection of a Medicare-approved, prospective clinical study
We have made important progress to expand this coverage in recent months. CMS has recently decided to cover:
- Sickle Cell Disease
- Myelofibrosis
- Multiple Myeloma
Medicare covers a few diseases on a case-by-case basis. These are considered “silent” diseases because Medicare does not specify if it will cover the cost of transplant prior to the treatment. If Medicare decides not to cover the cost of the transplant, the patient is required to pay the full cost of transplant.
Medicare resources
Learn more about Medicare coverage for bone marrow and cord blood transplants.
Read Be The Match and ASBMT Comments on National Coverage Analysis for Sickle Cell Disease, Myelofibrosis and Multiple Myeloma.
Learn more about Medicare coverage policies.