Renal Support Network

Why Should You Advocate for Kidney Care? Get involved and make a difference. RSN’s advocacy program focuses on State/Federal regulatory and legislative issues that impact or improve the care of people who have chronic kidney disease, including dialysis and kidney transplantation.

According to the latest U.S. Renal Data System Report more than 660,000 Americans are being treated for kidney failure, also called End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD). Of these, 468,000 are on dialysis and more than 193,000 have a functioning kidney transplant. Each year 100,000 people are newly diagnosed with stage 5 chronic kidney disease (CKD) which is the same as ESRD. About 30 million US adults are estimated to have CKD and most are undiagnosed. Over 103,000 people in the U.S. are waiting for a kidney transplant.

National legislative decisions are made within one or both bodies of Congress (i.e., the House of Representatives or the Senate), must be passed by vote, and approved with the President’s signature in order to become a law.

Only one thing can help change the course of this disease, and that is for anyone who is affected by it, whether patient, family member or renal professional, to get involved. Join us in educating your elected officials about how they can help with legislation relating to kidney disease, access to treatment, dialysis, transplantation and organ donation.

Take Action to Support Current Legislation that Affects People with Kidney Disease

The Living Donor Protection Act (H.R. 1224/S. 511) Organ donation saves lives and saves money, cutting health care costs by as much as two-thirds and saving Medicare millions of dollars every year. The Living Donor Protection Act would protect living organ donors and promote organ donation in three ways. Click on the take action button to learn more.

The Chronic Kidney Disease Improvement in Research & Treatment Act of 2019 (S.1676 and H.R. 3912) If passed, this legislation would allow for significant improvements in critical areas including guaranteed access to Medigap policies to all ESRD beneficiaries, expanding kidney care access in underserved areas and incentivizing innovation for new drugs, biologicals, devices, and other technologies.

The Comprehensive Immunosuppressive Drug Coverage for Kidney Transplant Patients Act (H.R. 5534) will extend immunosuppressive coverage past the 36-month cut-off currently in place to cover the medications for the life of the transplant.  Immunosuppressants is a type of medication people who have been transplanted must take daily to lower the body’s ability to have an immune response so they do not reject the donated organ.

Kidney Care In the News

How It All Works

Get Social With Your Elected Officials

RSN’s contribution to the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology

A Patient’s Perspective on Benzodiazepines, Co-Dispensed Opioids, and Mortality among Patients Initiating Long-Term In-Center Hemodialysis By Cher Thomas

Cost of Immunosuppressive Drugs and the Patient with a Kidney Transplant By Cher Thomas

Managing Fluid Control in the Peritoneal Dialysis Population by Shari Gilford

Psychiatric Problems Faced by Patients on Dialysis By Sasha Couch

Public Policy and Patient Choice of Dialysis Modality By Lori Hartwell

Responsive Designed Interventions Are Needed to Support Positive Outcomes of Children and Adolescents with CKD By Lori Hartwell

Patient and Other Stakeholder Engagement in Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute Funded Studies of Patients with Kidney Diseases By Lori Hartwell