AAKP Key Correspondence

August 31, 2021 The Honorable Chiquita Brooks-LaSure Administrator Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Department of Health & Human Services 7500 Security Boulevard Baltimore, MD 21244 RE: Medicare Program; End-Stage Renal Disease Prospective Payment System, Payment for Renal Dialysis Services Furnished to Individuals With Acute Kidney Injury, End-Stage Renal Disease Quality Incentive Program, and End-Stage … Continue reading "AAKP Key Correspondence" Read More

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:                                                           August 23, 2021                                                                                  FULL FDA APPROVAL OF PFIZER/BIONTECH COVID-19 VACCINE  PATIENT IMPACT STATEMENT AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF KIDNEY PATIENTS (AAKP) AMERICA’S LARGEST ORGANIZATION OF KIDNEY TRANSPLANT RECIPIENTS ANDLIVING ORGAN DONORS WASHINGTON, D.C. – The American Association of Kidney Patients (AAKP), the largest independent kidney patient organization in the nation, issued a formal statement in support … Continue reading "AAKP Key Correspondence" Read More

      August 11, 2021 The Honorable Chiquita Brooks-LaSure Administrator Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services 200 Independence Avenue Southwest Washington, D.C. 20201 Dear Administrator Brooks-LaSure, As the oldest and largest kidney patient organization in the United States, the American Association of Kidney Patients (AAKP) would like to extend our sincere congratulations on your … Continue reading "AAKP Key Correspondence" Read More

NEWS! CDC EMBRACES FDA AUTHORIZATION OF 3RD VACCINE DOSE FOR KIDNEY TRANSPLANT PATIENTS The American Association of Kidney Patients (AAKP), the nation’s largest patient organization representing kidney transplant patients and living organ donors, thanks the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices for their agreement, a short time ago, with the FDA … Continue reading "AAKP Key Correspondence" Read More

The Honorable Suzan DelBeneVice Chair of Congressional Caucus on DiabetesU.S. House of RepresentativesWashington, DC 20515 Dear Representative DelBene: As stakeholders in supporting new technologies that enhance health and quality of life for patients suffering from kidney disease, vascular disease, heart disease, and vascular trauma, we are asking for your kind supportof the attached report language … Continue reading "AAKP Key Correspondence" Read More

The Honorable Patty MurrayDefense Appropriations SubcommitteeU.S. SenateWashington, D.C. 20510 Dear Senator Murray: On behalf of of a coalition of concerned Washington State-based stakeholders, I am writing to you to request your support of continued federal research for new synthetic vascular graft technology. I joined this auspicious group of concerned entities and felt that I could … Continue reading "AAKP Key Correspondence" Read More

Every life is valuable. We strongly urge policymakers to reject policies that discriminate against people with disabilities and chronic conditions, older adults, and reinforce health inequities. As organizations representing patients and people with disabilities, we call on policymakers to work to ensure the most vulnerable populations among us, including people with disabilities, will not be … Continue reading "AAKP Key Correspondence" Read More

STATEMENT ON COMPREHENSIVE LIVING ORGAN DONOR PROTECTIONS March is National Kidney Month and April is National Donate Life Month.  As leading, independent, national organizations representing patients, organ donors and their families, transplant surgeons, and transplant health professionals, the American Association of Kidney Patients (AAKP), the American Society of Transplant Surgeons (ASTS), the American Society of … Continue reading "AAKP Key Correspondence" Read More

December 16, 2020 Nikolay P. Nikolov, MDDirector, Division of Rheumatology and Transplant MedicineFood and Drug AdministrationCenter for Drug Evaluation and ResearchDivision of Rheumatology and Transplant Medicine5901-B Ammendale RoadBeltsville, MD 20705-1266Re: Importance of supporting rational clinical trial design and support for kidney transplant desensitization Dear Dr. Nikolov: On behalf of the American Society of Transplantation (AST), … Continue reading "AAKP Key Correspondence" Read More

November 23, 2020 Congressman Earl Blumenauer                                         Congressman Jason Smith 1111 Longworth House Office Building                          2418 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515                                                                                          Washington, D.C. 20515 Congressman Tony Cardenas                                            Congressman Brad Wenstrup 2438 Rayburn House Office Building                              2419 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515                                                                                          Washington, D.C. 20515 Congressman G.K. Butterfield                                           Senator Todd Young 2080 Rayburn … Continue reading "AAKP Key Correspondence" Read More

November 13, 2020 Nakela Cook, MD, MPHExecutive DirectorPatient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute1828 L Street NW, Suite 900Washington, DC 20036 Dear Dr. Cook:We are writing to comment on PCORI’s Proposed Principles for the Consideration of the Full Range of Outcomes Data. We applaud PCORI for the thoughtful recognition of its authorizing statute’s limitations that prohibit PCORI from … Continue reading "AAKP Key Correspondence" Read More

October 15, 2020 The Honorable Frank Pallone  Chair, Energy and Commerce Comm. 2125 Rayburn House Office BuildingWashington, DC 20515 The Honorable Greg WaldenRanking Member, Energy and Commerce Comm.2322-A Rayburn House Office Building Washington, DC 20515  The Honorable Anna Eshoo Chair, Energy and Commerce Health Subc. 2125 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, DC 20515  Rep. Mike Burgess Ranking Member, E & C … Continue reading "AAKP Key Correspondence" Read More

July 17, 2020 The Honorable Mitch McConnellMajority LeaderUnited States Senate The Honorable Charles Grassley ChairmanFinance CommitteeUnited States Senate The Honorable Charles SchumerMinority LeaderUnited States Senate The Honorable Ron WydenRanking MemberFinance CommitteeUnited States Senate RE: AST, ASTS & AAKP Request Swift Passage of S. 3353, the Comprehensive Drug Coverage for Kidney Transplant Patients Act, During the … Continue reading "AAKP Key Correspondence" Read More

July 17, 2020 National Government Services Medical Policy Unit P.O. Box 7073 Indianapolis, IN 46207-7073 PartBLCDComments@anthem.com ATTN: Craig Haug, M.D., Medical Director Re: Proposed LCD for Percutaneous AV Fistula for Hemodialysis (DL38573) Dear Dr. Haug: The American Association of Kidney Patients (AAKP) and the Renal Physicians Association (RPA) are jointly contacting you to express concerns … Continue reading "AAKP Key Correspondence" Read More

July 10, 2020 Paul T. Conway and Edward V. Hickey III As two kidney patients who have lived at the intersection of politics, policy, and presidents throughout our personal and professional lives, we are occasionally asked about our experiences and knowledge of the Executive Branch and White House operations. As the one year anniversary of … Continue reading "AAKP Key Correspondence" Read More

Mr. Knight is a former hemodialysis patient who received a kidney transplant for a living donor 14 years ago. AAKP is the largest kidney patient organization in America with a proud 50 year history of matching patients to companies conducting clinical trials for new therapeutics, diagnostics and devices. Dear Friends and Allies, Over the past … Continue reading "AAKP Key Correspondence" Read More

On behalf of the undersigned members of the Protecting Access to Pain Relief (PAPR) Coalition, please find written comments in response to the Request for Comment entitled “Management of Acute and Chronic Pain” (Docket No. CDC-2020-0029) issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Read More

Talking Points Memo (TPM)By Josh Kovensky We still don’t know how much we don’t know about COVID-19. The immediate effects of the disease are devastating.But what has confronted doctors and patients alike since American hospitals began to fill up in March has been another, deeply sobering prospect: that of long-term, maybe permanent organ damage among … Continue reading "AAKP Key Correspondence" Read More

ASN KidneyNewsBy Eric Seaborg Like every corner of the medical community, kidney patient advocacy groups have mobilized in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The many responses include direct monetary grants to patients; education for patients about the virus and how they can react; increased efforts for communication, networking, and counseling; and mobilization for political activity. … Continue reading "AAKP Key Correspondence" Read More

Download the official letter April 21, 2020 The Honorable Steven T. Mnuchin Secretary of Treasury16US Department of the Treasury1500 Pennsylvania Avenue NWWashington, DC 20220 The Honorable Andrew SaulCommissioner of Social Security Administration US Social Security Administration1300 D Street SW Washington, DC 20024 The Honorable Robert WilkieSecretary of Veterans AffairsUS Department of Veterans Affairs 810 Vermont … Continue reading "AAKP Key Correspondence" Read More

Representing millions of patients, people with disabilities and older adults, our organizations are writing to express our strong and urgent support for the Department’s Office for Civil Rights to issue additional guidance to ensure that schemes to ration scarce health care resources during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic comply with federal nondiscrimination laws. Read More

March 13, 2020 Dear Chairman DeLauro, Chairman Blunt, Representative Cole, and Senator Murray: On behalf of the undersigned organizations, representing kidney patient advocates and health professionals dedicated to improving patient care, thank you for your steadfast commitment to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and leadership, including the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and … Continue reading "AAKP Key Correspondence" Read More

We applaud your efforts to deliver on President Trump’s Advancing American Kidney Health Initiative. You have stated that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will reform regulations so that fewer Americans suffer kidney failure, more options are available for dialysis patients, and more organs are available for transplant. Read More