A Valley man who took center stage in the debate over state budget cuts that stopped funding for certain transplants has died.
Mark Price, 37, had battled leukemia for about a year. He died at a Valley hospital Sunday from complications of chemotherapy treatment.
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Price hoped for a bone marrow transplant, but was notified in September that the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System would not fund the $250,000 operation because it had stopped paying for certain transplants due to budget cuts. An anonymous donor came forward in October and offered to pay for the transplant. However, Price died before the procedure was done.
News/Talk 92.3 KTAR’s Bob McClay met Price about two months ago, at the time Price learned AHCCCS would not cover the bone transplant, and remembers Price telling him: “I couldn’t believe it. I really couldn’t. People’s lives are on the line. The only way to cure this disease and live a longer life is to do a bone marrow transplant. I know I’m young and strong and I can get through that and live a longer life for me and my family.”
AHCCCS said Price’s transplant was not covered because non-family bone marrow transplants, like Price’s, have a 100 percent failure rate. Price’s doctor, disputed that, saying such procedures have a 42 percent success rate.
Price appeared on KTAR’s “Mac and Gaydos” show the day after the anonymous donor came forward to pay for his transplant. He said confidently, “I will live, yes.”
In the weeks that followed, Price and his doctor declined interview requests, saying he was undergoing more chemotherapy to prepare for the operation.
The family said Price was forced to allow his home to go into foreclosure as he struggled to deal with all the medical costs.
The new AHCCCS rules on transplants hve led to a political firestorm. State Rep. John Kavanagh and Attorney General Terry Goddard called on Gov. Jan Brewer to call a special session of the Legislature to review the AHCCCS budget cuts, but no action has been taken.
