Health Chairman Buchanan Opening Statement: Hearing on Improving Kidney Health Through Better Prevention and Innovative Treatment

WASHINGTON - Today, Congressman Vern Buchanan, Vice Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee and Chair of the Health Subcommittee, delivered the following remarks at a Health Subcommittee hearing examining ways to improve kidney health through better prevention and innovative treatments.

As prepared for delivery.

"Good afternoon and thank you to the witnesses for being here to discuss an important issue: improving kidney health in America.

"Chronic Kidney Disease and End-Stage Renal Disease are devastating and expensive diseases.

"15 percent of American adults live with some form of CKD, and more than 800,000 patients live with ESRD.

"These patients are very sick, with more than 500,000 of them requiring multiple hours of dialysis per week.

"Overall, almost 60 percent of patients die within 5 years of starting dialysis.

"CKD and ESRD are also very expensive.

"Despite being only 1 percent of the Medicare population, patients with ESRD account for 7 percent of Medicare expenditures - over $50 billion annually.

"I was very surprised to learn that most cases of CKD and ESRD are caused by other common chronic diseases and can be prevented.

"In fact, diabetes and high blood pressure together account for 75 percent of new ESRD cases.

"We must work together to prevent chronic diseases for patients, or else taxpayers continue to pay the price.

"That means improving kidney health by supporting payment policies that increase innovation in treatments and care delivery.

"Additionally, new drugs and medical devices can help patients manage complications from ESRD, but Medicare payment policy must reward this innovation.

"We must modernize Medicare coverage to better prevent and treat kidney disease, as well as improve patient outcomes.

"I look forward to discussing this important topic and solutions with my colleagues today."

In addition to being the Vice Chairman and most senior Republican on the powerful U.S. House Ways and Means Committee, Buchanan is also the Chairman of the Health Subcommittee, which has broad jurisdiction over traditional Medicare, the Medicare prescription drug benefit program and Medicare Advantage.

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