Press Releases

Today, Representatives Suzan DelBene (WA-01) and John Joyce, M.D. (PA-13) introduced bipartisan legislation to help Americans understand kidney disease risks and treatment so they can get care before the condition worsens, potentially leading to kidney failure, and forcing them onto dialysis or the transplant list.

Thirty-seven million Americans have chronic kidney disease (CKD), but 87% of them don’t know that they have it. Many more are at risk of kidney disease because they have a chronic condition, like hypertension or diabetes. Medicare currently covers up to six sessions of kidney disease education for patients with Stage 4 CKD, which helps patients manage advanced kidney disease, understand treatment options, and delay progression. The Kidney Disease Education Access Expansion Act would expand access to this benefit earlier, helping patients access treatment sooner and slow the progression of the disease. 

“Kidney disease education is a trusted, evidence-backed tool that helps patients manage their condition and prevent kidney failure,” said DelBene. “But millions of Americans who are at risk don’t have access to this important tool. This bipartisan bill aims to expand important educational resources for all Medicare patients, which will make a significant difference in disease prevention and treatment.”

“This legislation meaningfully expands access to quality care for individuals living with Chronic Kidney Disease by ensuring eligibility is not limited based on stage of diagnosis,” said Joyce. “The sad reality is that more than 37 million Americans are living with CKD, and the majority don't know that they have it. Often, early prevention is overlooked, and screening is not consistently accessible. This lack of early diagnosis is preventable and causes serious health impacts. This comes down to education and a commonsense pathway to better supporting patients from the very start of their care journey.”

The legislation is endorsed by the American Kidney Fund, American Nephrology Nurses Association, American Society of Nephrology, Association of Diabetes Care & Education Specialists, Dialysis Patient Citizens, IGA Nephropathy Foundation, Kidney Solutions: A Network of Transplant Experience, Kidney Transplant Collaborative (KTC), National Kidney Foundation, NephCure, Nonprofit Kidney Care Alliance, PKD Foundation, and Travere Therapeutics.

“Medicare only covers kidney disease education once a patient has already reached stage 4 — by then, the damage is often done,” said Kevin Longino, Chief Executive Officer of the National Kidney Foundation and a kidney transplant recipient. “This bill corrects that by covering education for anyone at high risk for chronic kidney disease, such as those with diabetes, high blood pressure, or other risk factors, long before kidney failure becomes a crisis. It also adds kidney screening to the wellness visits Americans already receive. It's a simple, common-sense fix: catch the disease early, equip families with the knowledge to act, and keep more Americans healthy and out of the hospital. We're grateful to Representatives DelBene and Joyce for leading this effort, and we urge Congress to act quickly.”

“The single most important thing we can do to treat kidney failure is to prevent it in the first place. The Kidney Disease Education Access Expansion Act substantially improves our ability to help Americans affected by kidney diseases never progress to kidney failure. I commend Rep. DelBene and Rep. Joyce for introducing this legislation, which has the power to change the lives of the 37 million Americans with kidney diseases, many of whom today don't even know they are affected,” said Samir M. Parikh, MD, PhD., President, American Society of Nephrology.