On Wednesday, July 10, the Secretary of Health and Human Services and current Administration issued an executive order, announcing upcoming changes to kidney health care in the United States. These changes include:
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
A public awareness campaign to reach the at-risk population and also help increase living organ donation.
The NKFI would like to applaud the efforts of the following not-for-profit organizations who advocated and worked to have the needs of kidney patients across the country heard.
American Association of Kidney Patients
American Society of Nephrology
American Society of Pediatric Nephrology
Gift of Hope Organ & Donor Tissue Network