Advocacy and Public Policy
Shaping Public Policy for Nephrology Health Professionals
ASN promotes the highest quality care by serving as the professional organization informing health policy in kidney disease. Click on the magnifying glass to search by keyword or follow links at the left for more information.
ASN and 50+ organizations request $30M in funding for the Pediatric Subspecialty Loan Repayment Program
The requested $30 million for the Pediatric Subspecialty Loan Repayment Program will lessen financial disincentives for pursuing pediatric specialty training, increase children's access to subspecialty care, and allow for shorter wait times and shorter travel distances to receive care
- Posted Thursday, May 19, 2022 @ 1:36 PM
ASN Calls on HHS Secretary Becerra to Renew COVID-19 Public Health Emergency
The American Society of Nephrology (ASN) unequivocally supports the renewal of the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE) and calls on the Biden-Harris Administration and HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra to renew the PHE and prioritize the needs of individuals with kidney diseases. ASN urges the administration to maintain the PHE until the global pandemic has receded and the capabilities authorized by the PHE are no longer necessary.
- Posted Sunday, May 15, 2022 @ 11:32 AM
ASN and NKF urge National Government Services (NGS) to align its medical policies with recommendations from the NKF-ASN Task Force
In the letter, ASN and NKF request NGS to adopt the recommendations from the NKF-ASN Task Force, especially the recommendation to have increased, routine, and timely use of cystatin C for confirmatory assessment of kidney function.
- Posted Thursday, April 14, 2022 @ 11:31 AM
ASN Urges COVID Czar Jha to Protect People with Kidney Diseases
The American Nephrology Nurses Association (ANNA), the American Society of Nephrology (ASN), the National Kidney Foundation (NKF), and the Renal Healthcare Association (RHA), sent a letter to Dr. Ashish Jha, MD, MPH, thanking the Biden-Harris Administration for all of its work to ensure the health of all Americans during the COVID-19 pandemic—especially the 37 million Americans living with kidney diseases—and to congratulate Dr. Jha on his appointment to serve as the White House COVID-19 Response Coordinator. The organizations urged Dr. Jha to keep people with kidney diseases and those that provide care in mind as the administration prepares for future COVID-19 variants and surges.
- Posted Friday, April 08, 2022 @ 3:27 PM
ASN responds to CMS regarding the Medicare Advantage (MA) Proposed Rule
In a letter to CMS Secretary Becerra and HHS Administrator Brooks-LaSure, ASN highlights four major issues of interest with the rapidly expanding cohort of individuals with advanced chronic kidney disease in MA plans: Aligning Care Models for CKD and ESRD Care in MA Plan with Traditional Medicare, Harmonizing Measurement of care quality, Expanding C-SNP plans to CKD care, and Addressing the widening data gap.
- Posted Friday, March 11, 2022 @ 4:10 PM
The U.S. Preventative Services Task Force (USPSTF) has accepted the nomination of CKD screening
USPSTF notified the Coalition for Kidney Health (C4KH), led by the National Kidney Foundation (NKF), and joined by the American Society of Nephrology (ASN) as a founding member, in a letter on February 14, 2022.
- Posted Wednesday, February 16, 2022 @ 2:43 PM
More than 30 members of Congress urge CMS to cover dialysis as a hospice benefit
To ensure all Medicare beneficiaries have the choice of care that is best suited for them, more than 30 members of Congress sent a letter to CMS urging the expansion of hospice benefits to include short-term palliative dialysis for people with terminal kidney failure
- Posted Friday, February 11, 2022 @ 5:06 PM
ASN Responds to CMS' Request For Information regarding Health and Safety Requirements for Transplant Programs, Organ Procurement Organizations, and End-Stage Renal Disease Facilities
In the letter, ASN urges CMS to increase access to transplantation, home dialysis, and system wide transparency to ensure kidney patients receive the highest quality of care and equitable access to transplantation.
- Posted Wednesday, February 02, 2022 @ 11:12 AM
Due to the recent COVID-19 Omicron surge, ASN, NKF, ANNA, and RHA sent a letter to the Health and Human Services Secretary Becerra and the White House COVID-19 Response Coordinator, Mr. Zients
ASN, NKF, ANNA, and RHA are urging the government to support kidney patients by alleviating the supply crises at dialysis facilities, distribute high level face coverings to dialysis facilities, clarify the CMS policy on pre-filled saline syringes and saline protocol, and encourage state and federal governments to allow reciprocity for nurses who interstate practice
- Posted Friday, January 28, 2022 @ 1:54 PM
ASN comments on Medicare''s decision to repeal final rule on Medicare Coverage of Innovative Technology (MCIT)
Breakthrough technology and therapies are crucial for the millions of Medicare beneficiaries suffering from chronic illness. To ensure patients with kidney disease receive the best coverage and newest innovative devices, ASN urges CMS to move forward on a proposed new rule with an understanding of the need to protect the Medicare program and its beneficiaries.
- Posted Monday, November 15, 2021 @ 11:35 AM
ASN comments on the Physician Fee Schedule and Related Provisions Including Telehealth
The CY 2022 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) sets reimbursement levels across all physicians billing Medicare. ASN has joined a broad health care coalition to advocate with Congress for a two-year delay in the 3.75% conversion rate and to urge Congress to provide a long-term solution to the budget neutrality provisions that govern MPFS rates.
- Posted Monday, November 15, 2021 @ 11:31 AM
ASN submits comment letter on ESRD Prospective Payment System, ESRD Quality Incentive Program, and ESRD Treatment Choices Model
In a comment letter to CMS Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure, ASN highlights its recommendations for improving the ESRD Prospective Payment System, including TPNIES to increase innovation. Improving the ESRD Quality Incentive Program to illustrate health inequities and alleviate disparities. Improving ESRD ETC model by promoting coordinated care across kidney health systems, promoting intervention earlier to curb the progression of CKD, increase transplantation and home dialysis, and provide more patient centered choices and better clinical outcomes.
- Posted Friday, September 03, 2021 @ 3:16 PM
Representative Jaime Herrera Beutler calls for 3rd vaccine dose to be provided to people with a transplant
Expressing concern on behalf of Americans living with a solid organ transplant or health conditions leading to a compromised immune system, Representative Jaime Herrera Beutler called on HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra to expedite the provision of a 3rd COVID-19 vaccine dose for immunosuppressed and immunocompromised people, as well as study the impact of COVID-19 and different vaccination strategies on transplant recipients and immunocompromised people.
- Posted Wednesday, August 04, 2021 @ 2:27 PM
Representative DelBene's and Representative Bucshon's letter to the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF)
Rep. DelBene and Rep. Bucshon lead a Congressional sign-on letter urging the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force to develop Chronic Kidney Disease screening recommendations to help ease this public health epidemic.
- Posted Monday, August 02, 2021 @ 4:56 PM
ASN submits detailed outline of steps the federal government needs to take to address inequities and barriers to kidney care for minoritized and underserved communities.
In a letter to the White House Office of Management and Budget, ASN highlights the key issues causing disparities in kidney care and provides policy goals to curb these inequities that burden patients with kidney disease.
- Posted Friday, July 16, 2021 @ 2:54 PM
