(November 26, 2024 - Washington, DC) - The following is a statement from Kevin Longino, Chief Executive Officer of the National Kidney Foundation and a kidney transplant patient on this morning’s proposal to expand Medicare and Medicaid coverage to anti-obesity medications.
“The National Kidney Foundation (NKF) applauds the Biden administration’s proposal to expand Medicare and Medicaid coverage for weight-loss medications, including GLP-1 receptor agonists. This initiative has the potential to transform care for millions of Americans living with obesity, a condition closely tied to chronic kidney disease (CKD).
These medications aren’t just about weight loss, they’re about saving lives. For people with obesity and kidney disease, these treatments have shown the ability to slow kidney disease progression, improve heart health, and reduce mortality. Expanding access is a crucial step forward.
Obesity is a leading risk factor for CKD, and treatments like GLP-1 receptor agonists have demonstrated kidney-protective and cardiovascular benefits in clinical trials. Combining these medications with dietary and lifestyle interventions, such as Medical Nutrition Therapy with a registered dietitian nutritionist can dramatically improve outcomes and give people at risk a fighting chance.
We urge policymakers to prioritize equitable access to these therapies and continue investing in patient education and support.”
- For more information on the connection between obesity and kidney health, visit www.kidney.org/kidney-topics/overweight-obesity.
- To learn more about kidney disease and how to maintain optimal kidney health visit www.kidney.org.
About Kidney Disease
In the United States, more than 35 million adults are estimated to have kidney disease, also known as chronic kidney disease (CKD)-and approximately 90 percent don't know they have it. About 1 in 3 adults in the U.S. are at risk for kidney disease. Risk factors for kidney disease include diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity, and family history. People of Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian American, or Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander descent are at increased risk for developing the disease. Black or African American people are about four times as likely as White people to have kidney failure. Hispanic people experience kidney failure at about double the rate of White people.
About the National Kidney Foundation
The National Kidney Foundation is revolutionizing the fight to save lives by eliminating preventable kidney disease, accelerating innovation for the dignity of the patient experience, and dismantling structural inequities in kidney care, dialysis, and transplantation. For more information about NKF, visit www.kidney.org.
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Media Contacts
Paul McGee, 716-523-6874
Email: paul.mcgee@kidney.org