California Voters Put Dialysis Patients First, Prop 8 is Defeated

 

November 7, 2018

 

 

“California voters have put dialysis patients first and voted down proposition 8, previously known as ‘The Fair Pricing for Dialysis Act’.  Prop 8 was a dangerous ballot initiative that put the lives of dialysis patients at risk and placed patients in the middle of a battle that would not benefit them.”

 

“The National Kidney Foundation strongly opposes all cuts in funding to patients and opposed Prop 8 because it put patients at risk.  If Prop 8 had passed, dialysis clinics in low-income and rural areas could have been forced to close, and dialysis patients would have endured cuts to their care. Prop 8 was a bad policy for kidney patients.”

 

“The National Kidney Foundation now urges all parties, including patients and providers, to come to the table for an open and honest dialogue to develop solutions that will result in a benefit to patient care.”

 

“We congratulate Californians for standing up for patients and voting No on Prop 8.” 

 

Find more information about NKF’s campaign to oppose Prop 8 and a list of frequently asked questions.

 

In the United States 30 million adults are estimated to have chronic kidney disease—and most aren’t aware of it.  1 in 3 American adults are at risk for chronic kidney disease.  Risk factors for kidney disease include diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity and family history.  People of African American, Hispanic, Native American, Asian or Pacific Islander descent are at increased risk for developing the disease.  African Americans are 3 times more likely than Whites, and Hispanics are nearly 1.5 times more likely than non-Hispanics to develop end stage renal disease (kidney failure).

 

Nearly 680,000 Americans have irreversible kidney failure, or end-stage renal disease (ESRD), and need dialysis or a kidney transplant to survive. Over 475,000 ESRD patients receive dialysis at least 3 times per week to replace kidney function. 121,000 people started ESRD treatment in 2014, of which 118,000 started dialysis.