Take action in your state
Make a difference in the lives of kidney patients and living organ donors by communicating with your state and local officials.
Welcome to the American Kidney Fund’s Action Center.
Keeping policymakers informed is critical in the fight against kidney disease. Add your voice to thousands of other voices in our Advocacy Network and help us make a difference! Use the Action Alerts below to send personalized messages to your representatives in Congress on key issues affecting kidney patients and their families.
Topic: COVID-19
Ensuring that transplant patients continue to have continued access to immunosuppressive drugs is critical to keeping them off dialysis. With millions of Americans now facing unemployment and possible loss of health insurance as a result, extending Medicare coverage of immunosuppressants is even more important.
TOPICS: Prescription drugs, COVID-19
With loss of income and health care needs rising due to COVID-19, many Americans are turning to Medicaid for the first time. Just as many Americans need Medicaid, states are strapped by pandemic costs and may be forced to cut services, including Medicaid. The federal government can step in and increase its portion to ensure that all Americans have the health services they need.
TOPICS: Medicaid, COVID-19
The same underlying illnesses that cause end-stage renal disease (ESRD) in communities of color - diabetes and hypertension - also increase the mortality rate of COVID-19. Please contact your Members of Congress to request that they cosponsor H.R. 6561 and S.4440, the Improving Social Determinants of Health Act of 2020.
TOPICS: Kidney disease prevention & education, Health disparities, COVID-19
"Surprise bills" are health care bills that patients didn't know were coming. These bills can be much higher than normal copays or coinsurance that consumers pay, and they have led to financial hardship and even ruin for some patients. During this difficult during time of an unprecedented global pandemic, it is even more important that patients know that they will not have surprise bills.
TOPICS: Insurance, COVID-19
During this difficult time of the COVID-19 outbreak, a record number of people have lost their sources of income and thus, their ability to pay for their health insurance. The American Kidney Fund believes that four main insurance provisions should be included in the next coronavirus relief legislation that would better ensure that people can keep their private insurance.
TOPICS: Insurance, COVID-19
Approximately 55 million Americans do not have bank accounts. The "Banking For All Act" would let consumers set up "FedAccounts" at local banks and post offices. Account holders would receive debit cards, online account access, automatic bill pay, mobile banking and ATM access at post offices.
TOPICS: COVID-19
On March 18, 2020, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released guidance that stated that transplants were essential and should not be postponed. However, there have been numerous stories of kidney transplants being cancelled or postponed due to the COVID-19 outbreak, and latest data from United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) shows that living donor transplants have essentially stopped.
TOPICS: Transplants, COVID-19
