Kidney Disease Advocacy
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.
Urge Congress to Support the Living Donor Protection Act of 2021! The Living Donor Protection Act of 2021 (H.R. 1255/S. 377) would promote and protect living organ donation. If passed, this bill would prohibit discrimination of living organ donors by employers, life insurance providers, disability and long-term care insurance carriers.
The Comprehensive Immunosuppressive Drug Coverage for Kidney Transplant Patients Act (H.R. 5534) has passed and will go into effect in January 2023! Once signed by the president, this 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. Thank you to all who worked to make this happen!
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
