Comments on: Crist Signs Alonzo Mourning’s Kidney Disease Bill

By: Roberta Mikles, RN, Patient Advocate

Roberta Mikles, RN, Patient Advocate — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 15:58:10 +0000

Would this bill have been passed should a non-celebrity approached elected officials? It seems that, at times, action is only taken when a celeb status individual is involved. Roberta Mikles, RN, Director, Health Care Patient Advocates (uncompensated advocates striving for quality safe care).

By: Kay Taylor

Kay Taylor — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 15:11:53 +0000

Alonzo, will you come to Daytona Beach sometime and talk with our dialysis and transplant patients?

By: Kay Taylor

Kay Taylor — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 14:51:22 +0000

Thank you to Alonzo Mourning, Governor Crist and Senators Altman and Workman for making certain that HB 675 was signed! As part of the Florida Renal Coalition and a transplant social worker who lobbied for this measure, I want to thank everyone who thoughtfully considered the plight of kidney patients in the state of Florida and who worked towards passage of this great legislation. The transplant community works diligently to provide access to kidney transplantation, but so many patients have financial barriers to overcome in order to obtain and keep a kidney transplant. This bill will make it easier for thousands of Florida kidney patients to become eligible for a transplant. Now we have to continue the effort at the federal level to extend Medicare coverage of immunosuppressive therapy, so that transplant recipients everywhere will not risk losing this precious gift for lack of funds for medication. My hope is that the general public will come to realize that most transplant recipients, although they may still have special medical needs, can return to productive lives after transplantation and will become assets to our society, like Mr. Alonzo Mourning – able to “pay back” the gift he was given. Thanks again for all who supported HB 675!

By: Vinessa Edwards

Vinessa Edwards — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 13:01:47 +0000

It is indeed gratifying that Governor Charlie Crist signed this bill. To quote Alonzo Mourning “no one should have to exhaust his/her assets to pay for health care”.
I thank Alonzo Mourning for his unselfish efforts to make the sojourn of kidney diseased/dialysis patients less selfish. God Bless Alonzo, Governor Charlie Crist and everyone else who contributed to the “Alonzo Mourning Access to Care Act”.