Washington, DC (March 7, 2025) — Statement from Dr. Jesse Roach, SVP of Government Relations of the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) and a nephrologist on the introduction of a bipartisan health care policy package.
"With over 100,000 Americans on transplant waiting lists and approximately 17 people dying each day while waiting for organs, these measures are quite literally life-saving. This bipartisan health care policy package addresses critical gaps in our organ donation infrastructure by removing financial barriers for living donors and securing the operational stability of the organ matching network. It is urgent to pass these provisions without delay to both strengthen the nation's transplant system and save countless lives.
The National Kidney Foundation applauds Senators Wyden and Sanders for their leadership on this bipartisan approach to advance organ donation policy in the United States. The package combines the Honor Our Living Donors Act (HOLD Act) with the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) Fee Collection Authority Act. These provisions were originally included in the December Continuing Resolution but unfortunately stalled, leaving these vital healthcare measures in limbo despite their bipartisan support. The HOLD Act would expand access to the National Living Donor Assistance center, a government entity that helps reimburse expenses for living organ donors, while the OPTN Fee Collection Authority Act supports the HRSA OPTN Modernization by ensuring stable funding for the nation's organ matching system.”
For more information on the National Kidney Foundation’s advocacy efforts, please visit www.kidney.org.
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, visit www.kidney.org.
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