
“The Administration’s commitment to charting a new course for kidney health will help revolutionize transplantation and dialysis and advance new innovations, therapies and treatments which patients everywhere have been waiting on for far too long,” said Kevin Longino, CEO of National Kidney Foundation and a kidney transplant patient. “Kidney care is, for the first time in decades, experiencing a renaissance that can transform the lives of millions of Americans while also saving taxpayers billions of dollars. NKF is grateful to the Administration and our bi-partisan Congressional champions who are elevating kidney disease as a national priority.”
The Administration’s plan includes five alternative payment models for coverage of kidney disease treatments, including incentives for transplantation and slowing progression of kidney disease, home dialysis and earlier care of kidney patients; expanded financial assistance to living donors to cover lost wages and dependent care during donation and recovery; new measures for organ procurement organizations (OPOs) to help increase transplantation; efforts to reduce the number of kidneys discarded, efforts to advance the development of an artificial kidney, and a public awareness campaign to reach the at-risk population and also help increase living organ donation.
In January, 2019, NKF released a comprehensive path forward for increasing kidney transplantation which included many of the key aspects the President announced in his speech.
"The time is now for the entire kidney community to embrace the momentum of today's announcement, work with the Administration and Congress to advance policies which can significantly benefit kidney patients and their families, and together change the current trajectory of kidney care," said Holly Kramer, MD, MPH, President of National Kidney Foundation.