Washington, DC (March 3, 2025) — Statement from Dr. Jesse Roach, SVP of Government Relations of the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) and a nephrologist on potential cuts to Medicaid as a result of the House Budget Resolution,
"Medicaid is a critical safety net for individuals with kidney disease, offering access to early diagnosis, treatment, and transplant services that can prevent costly and life-threatening complications.
“Kidney disease is a largely invisible condition until it reaches advanced stages. About 90% of people with chronic kidney disease (CKD) don’t even know they have it. Federal budget deficit reduction efforts that reduce Medicaid coverage, benefits, and eligibility will stymie efforts to improve early detection and management of kidney disease and increase the risk of individuals crashing into dialysis—suffering multiple hospitalizations and incurring significant healthcare costs as they become eligible for Medicare at the point of kidney failure.
“Studies have shown that proactive management of kidney disease through Medicaid-funded services can reduce the incidence of costly emergency dialysis starts and improve patient outcomes. The spillover effect of Medicaid cuts could result in higher costs to Medicare, as many untreated kidney patients will transition to Medicare with advanced disease and, costly-to-treat kidney failure.
“NKF urges Congress to consider the long-term implications of Medicaid cuts and to prioritize policies that support early intervention and continuity of care for kidney patients. Reducing access to Medicaid will not only harm vulnerable patients today but will lead to greater costs for the healthcare system tomorrow.”
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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Media Contact:
Paul McGee
National Kidney Foundation
716.523.6874
paul.mcgee@kidney.org