Risk of kidney disease

March is National Kidney Month, a time when communities across the country raise awareness about kidney disease. One in three Americans is at risk for developing kidney disease. As many as 37 million people in the U.S. have kidney disease, and most aren’t even aware they have it. If you have diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, or a family history of kidney disease, you’re at risk.

As a dialysis patient with end-stage renal disease, I want to use March as a time to update Arkansans on kidney disease awareness and advocacy.

After years of consideration, Congress finally passed legislation in December that expands Medicare coverage of immunosuppressive drugs for transplant patients. This landmark legislation ensures that patients on Medicare can indefinitely afford the medication they need following a transplant. A three-year cap was previously in place, leaving patients to pay on their own for costly medication they must take for the rest of their lives. Thank you to Rep. Rick Crawford, Sen. John Boozman, and Sen. Tom Cotton, who helped make this happen.

Other important legislation is the Living Donor Protection Act (LDPA), of which Sen. Tom Cotton is an original co-sponsor. The LDPA prohibits discrimination against living organ donors for life, health, and long-term care insurance. This bill also clarifies that living donors may use time granted through the Family and Medical Leave Act to recover from donation (if they qualify for FMLA). While we have an LDPA in Arkansas, this would ensure that everyone is offered these protections in all 50 states.

If you have diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, or a family history of kidney disease, talk to your doctor, or visit MinuteForYourKidneys.org to take a one-minute quiz to find out if you’re at risk.

ELIZABETH FORTUNE

Little Rock