Statement from Kirk Campbell, MD, President of the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) on Proposed Congressional Cuts to Medicaid and ACA Coverage
Washington, DC (May 12, 2025) – “NKF is deeply concerned by the proposed legislative actions under consideration by the House Energy & Commerce and Ways & Means Committees. Significant cutting of Medicaid funding and reducing the accessibility and integrity of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplace coverage will not save lives, and will not save money in the long run.
These proposals are more than policy decisions—they are a direct threat to the health and survival of people living with or at risk for kidney disease. Nearly half of all dialysis patients in the United States rely on Medicaid, and many more depend on ACA coverage for access to life-sustaining care. Cutting these lifelines will jeopardize access to essential treatments, disrupt continuity of care, and force vulnerable Americans into impossible choices.
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) affects more than 35 million adults in the U.S., disproportionately impacting people of color, individuals with low incomes, and those already facing barriers to care. Policies that restrict Medicaid access or degrade marketplace protections will worsen health disparities and push more patients into emergency care—or worse.
At a time when kidney disease is on the rise and treatment costs are already straining families and health systems, now is not the time to introduce new barriers. We urge lawmakers to reject these short-sighted and harmful proposals and instead work to strengthen programs that are proven to save lives and lower long-term healthcare costs.
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. Hispanics 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 Contact:
Paul McGee 716-523-6874 or paul.mcgee@kidney.org