University of Iowa Health Care's organ transplant programs have met the new stricter Conditions of Participation of the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Conditions of Participation established by the federal government in 2007.

The programs had already been approved by the CMS and now meet the government's new criteria for participation.

The new UI adult lung transplant program also meets the new stricter CMS standards. Now, Medicare-eligible patients can be seen at the UI lung Transplant Center, and Medicare will cover a lung transplant evaluation.

"Our survival rates for transplant patients are among the best in the nation," said Alan Reed, MD, director of the Organ Transplant Center.

"The rapid growth of the lung program is a testament to the hard work of that entire team led by Doctors Kalpaj Parekh and Julia Klesney-Tait," Reed said.

"We are very pleased to receive approval from CMS to continue providing these important services to Iowans. I specifically must thank Jeanette Wigim, chief of clinical transplant operations, Ian Jamieson, chief administrative officer for the Organ Transplant Center, and Debbie Thoman and her entire team for all of the hard work in guiding this process to its successful outcome," Reed added.

For more information:

Alan Reed, MD

Kalpaj Parekh, MD

Julia Klesney-Tait, MD

Organ Transplant Center

UI Adult Lung Transplant Program