**EXPERTS AVAILABLE**Contacts: Kurtis Pivert • (202) 699-0238 • [email protected]Bob Henkel • (202) 557-8360 • [email protected]
Highlights• The American Society of Nephrology (ASN) is one of two leading kidney health organizations participating in Kidney Health Advocacy Day 2016 in Washington, DC. • Advocates from ASN and the American Association of Kidney Patients (AAKP) will meet with Congressional offices to call for lawmakers’ support of the Living Donor Protection Act of 2016.• Kidney health providers and patients will urge passage of the legislation that would eliminate barriers to living donation and help increase access to lifesaving transplants.
Every day 13 Americans die waiting for a kidney transplantNewswise — Washington, DC (April 21, 2016) — The American Society of Nephrology (ASN) is one of two leading kidney health organizations joining together on Capitol Hill for Kidney Health Advocacy Day 2016 to advance legislation that would remove barriers to living kidney donation. Advocates from ASN and the American Association of Kidney Patients (AAKP) will meet with Congressional offices to urge lawmakers support the Living Donor Protection Act of 2016 (S. 2548, H.R. 4616). Today, more than 20 million Americans have kidney disease, nearly 650,000 of whom have kidney failure (end-stage renal disease [ESRD]) and need a kidney transplant or dialysis to stay alive.
“More than 100,000 people are on the waiting list for a kidney transplant,” said ASN President Raymond C. Harris, MD, FASN. “Congress can help them by enacting commonsense legislation that promotes organ donation by ensuring access to insurance coverage and job security for donors.”
Every 14 minutes a patient is added to the kidney waitlist and 13 Americans die each day waiting for a transplant.
“Kidney transplants are the best treatment option for most patients with kidney failure, yet there aren’t enough donated kidneys for everyone who needs them,” said ASN Secretary-Treasurer and Policy Board Chair John R. Sedor, MD, FASN.
The Living Donor Protection Act of 2016 would help to increase the number of kidney transplants by eliminating barriers to donation, including:• Prohibiting insurers from denying or limiting coverage or from charging higher premiums to living organ donors’ life, disability, and long-term care plans. • Clarifying that living organ donors can use “time off” protected by the Family and Medical Leave Act to recover from donation surgery and maintain job security.• Directing Health and Human Services to update educational materials reflecting these policies and encouraging more Americans to consider living donation.
Transplantation is also cost effective for Medicare, with annual average costs of $29,920 per transplant patient vs. $84,550 per hemodialysis patient.
To learn more about Kidney Health Advocacy Day, please follow #KidneyAdvocates on Twitter and visit http://www.asn-online.org/policy/webdocs/page.aspx?code=livingdonor.
EXPERTS AVAILABLE FOR COMMENTAAKP President Paul T. Conway and ASN Secretary-Treasurer John R. Sedor, MD, FASN are available to discuss Kidney Health Advocacy Day. Please contact Kurtis Pivert at 202-699-0238 or [email protected] to arrange interviews.
Founded in 1966, and with nearly 16,000 members, the American Society of Nephrology (ASN) leads the fight against kidney diseases by educating health professionals and scientists, advancing research and innovation, communicating new knowledge, and advocating for the highest quality care for patients.# # # Tweet: Kidney Health Advocacy Day: ASN Urges Congress Pass Living Donor Bill. Take Action http://asn.kdny.info/10Cp4l #KidneyAdvocates Facebook: Kidney Health Advocacy Day 2016: American Society of Nephrology urges Congress to advance legislation that would remove barriers to living kidney donation. Learn more and take action at http://asn.kdny.info/10Cp4l #KidneyAdvocates
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