Theses are some ways to increase life expectancy in people with ESRD:
In no specific order...
1. Increase AV fistula use.
2. More frequent hemodialysis
3. Increase pool of organs available for transplantation
a. Expand usage of expanded criteria donor (ECD) organs. Many kidneys currently not being used for transplantation may not be ideal but they will increase ESRD patients life expectancies compared to remaining on dialysis so it is a no brainer from a humanistic perspective or from a utilitarian perspective or from a rational decision making model based on probability. So why are so many kidneys being thrown away?
b. increase live donor pool
i. increase live donation from family and community
ii. incentivizing live donors with monetary and other means (repeal parts of the killer legislation AKA National Organ Transplant Act.) I don't like complimenting Iran, but they have a real functioning market for kidney sales where buyers and sellers can transact business and a kidney can be bought and sold for a government mandated price of approximately $2,000 (as of a few years ago that was the price.)
4. Medicare should cover anti-rejection meds for life after transplantation. This will elongate the survival of the transplanted graft which will keep people healthier and alive. Currently, anti-rejection meds are only covered for 3 years after transplantation so if a person cannot afford the anti-rejection meds, some transplant centers won't even allow the person to receive the transplant! In some other circumstances, the person undergoes transplantation, then after they can no longer afford the meds, their bodies eventually reject the graft and then the person ends back on dialysis and Medicare will pay for that for life.....which is much more expensive and is only a treatment and not a cure which the transplanted kidneys (actually) are for as long as they do continue to function.
To be continued...
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