[MAA Medicare - Crossing Borders].

Abstract

This article describes the activities of MAA Medicare Charitable Foundation, which provides support for two charitable arms - the MAA Medicare I(idney Charity Fund and the MAA Medicare Heart Charity Fund. Author describe how such charitable organizations can play a vital role in supporting the care of patients with kidney disease in cases where such care is not available through the public programs offered by the government. Public employees and government retirees who need dialysis can receive care from private dialysis centers, through government subsidies. But many low income patients who cannot afford the high price of dialysis would be deprived of care without the MAA Medicare and other non-profit programs for dialysis. The article highlights how a public private partnership between NGOs that finance such a program, can play an imprint role in strengthening the health system and accessing effective and affordable care in a setting where such care would not otherwise be available to vulnerable segments of the population.