New Law Assures Insurance Coverage for those in Need of Organ Transplant

California Governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger has signed into law a bill that prohibits insurance companies from denying coverage for organ transplants based soley on HIV status. In the past, insurance providers have used positive HIV status as a reason for denying payment of transplant surgery and care, citing decreased life expectancy of HIV infected people and an inability of those infected people to take the anti-rejection drugs needed after surgery.

Several states have successfully challenged such denials, prompting the signing of this bill by the Governor. Studies show that HIV infected people who are taking HIV antiviral medication and have their HIV under control have outcomes after transplant surgery that are very similar to those people not HIV infected. This law removes one hurdle for those people in need of transplant but who were previously denied because of insurance or financial limitations.