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Incentivizing and Supporting Innovation in Kidney Care

Individuals living with kidney disease, especially kidney failure, have not experienced the same level of medical innovation that others living with conditions like cardiac disease or cancer have been able to access during the last 30 years. The relative stagnant reimbursement system coupled with the lack of a long-term pathway for sustaining innovative treatment options has led to this unacceptable situation.

KCP supports efforts from the administration, such as Advancing Kidney Health and KidneyX, that encourage innovation, as well as policies that ensure sufficient reimbursement through the Medicare ESRD program.

However, to support long-term innovation, the ESRD prospective payment system (PPS) itself must be reexamined to ensure policies that promote and foster innovations in care delivery. Without a sustainable system that encourages appropriate reimbursement, individuals with kidney diseases will be left behind yet again.

The work HHS and CMS have done to remove barriers to adopting innovative products and services for kidney care is an important starting point to incentivize innovation and innovative treatment options. Fostering innovation in kidney care generally is also central to the Administration’s goals of reducing inequities in health care.

KCP remains committed to working with CMS to foster innovation in technology, treatment, and medications through updates to current payment policy.