Re-authorizing and expanding the National Living Donor Assistance Center and advancing a new ESRD bundle are key priorities for 2025.
The new Congress has been in session for fewer days than you can count on one hand, but ASN’s advocacy agenda for the 119th Congress is already in full swing. In addition to advancing novel legislation and other new priorities for 2025, the society will also continue to press on some loose ends from the 118th Congress, which concluded at the end of 2024.
High on the list of priorities is working with House champions to introduce and build bipartisan co-sponsorship for new legislation to re-authorize and significantly expand the federal program that supports living donors (commonly known as the National Living Donor Assistance Center). ASN worked hand-in-glove with Congressional Kidney Caucus co-chair Rep. Suzan DelBene and her fellow original bill sponsors to craft the legislation, which would expand eligibility for reimbursement of costs related to living donation for those with incomes of up to 700% of federal poverty level and cover up to $10,000.
Also top-of-mind for 2025 legislation is a re-imagining of the ESRD bundle, the prospective payment system. Originally designed by Congress in 2008, the bundle is widely recognized as outdated and unable to appropriately adopt innovative new products or fully reflect the cost of providing care. Led by the ASN Quality Committee and the ASN Policy and Advocacy Committee, the society aims to play a leading role in helping scope a new bundle that is fair and predictable for dialysis organizations as well as intentional in its adoption of novel therapies.
Besides these, and other, exciting new legislative goals for 2025, ASN and other advocates will also be continuing advocacy on a few other priorities from 2024. Congress included a three-month extension of telehealth flexibilities in its year-end package that funded the government through March 14, 2025—but longer-term telehealth coverage remains a top priority. Though originally included in the year-end package, the Honor Our Living Donors Act, a technical clarification related to transplant system funding, and a payment boost to offset planned cuts to Medicare physician payment fell victim to 11th-hour political wrangling and were not enacted into law. Though defeat was snatched from the jaws of victory in the 118th Congress, the society remains dedicated to advancing these crucial goals and will work both independently and through coalition advocacy efforts to passing them as swiftly as possible in the 119th.
The ASN Policy and Advocacy Committee and the newly-established ASN Transplant Committee will be on Capitol Hill in mid-March advocating for these and other priorities: stay tuned for how you can also urge your members of Congress to get involved and support the 37 million Americans with kidney diseases.
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