DATE: December 2, 2024

Washington, D.C. – December 2, 2024 – The Kidney Transplant Collaborative (KTC) commends the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for the release of the final rule for the Increasing Organ Transplant Access (IOTA) Model. After concerns that the rule could be delayed or even halted, KTC is pleased to see this important initiative move forward. This new model is a major step forward in efforts to increase kidney transplant access and pursuing innovative strategies to increase living kidney donations.

KTC has been a consistent supporter of the IOTA Model as it holds the potential to increase access to life-saving kidney transplants for patients nationwide. It is designed to enhance the transplant system, making it more efficient and effective, and to ensure that more kidneys reach the patients who need them most.

A September letter of support to Congress—signed by dozens of bipartisan Members of Congress —underscores the broad consensus within the kidney transplant community in favor of this transformative model. It emphasizes the need for comprehensive action to increase access to life-saving kidney transplants, including increased support for living donors. The letter also recommends that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) include coverage of navigators for both recipients and living donors, and full cost reimbursement for living donors, as part of the IOTA model.

KTC recognizes the significant revisions made to the IOTA Model in response to feedback gathered through the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking. It applauds CMS for considering the input from the transplant community and working to make the model more effective for both providers and patients.

As CMS continues to refine and improve the IOTA Model, KTC urges the agency to consider further ways to support living kidney donations. Expanding and enhancing living donation policies will be essential as the model evolves and possesses the potential to reduce the growing kidney transplant waitlist. Living kidney donation is a key solution to this crisis, and KTC is committed to supporting efforts to make it easier and more accessible for individuals to donate.

KTC also looks forward to collaborating with hospitals, transplant centers, and healthcare providers to help them thrive under the IOTA Model. The group’s focus remains on ensuring that hospitals have the tools and resources they need to provide the highest quality care to patients, ultimately improving outcomes for those in need of kidney transplants. KTC remains confident that with the right support, transplant centers can excel under the revised framework, benefiting individuals with chronic kidney disease across the nation.

About The Kidney Transplant Collaborative
The Kidney Transplant Collaborative (KTC) is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing kidney transplants and removing financial and logistical barriers for kidney patients, donors, and their families. Unlike other initiatives, KTC is specifically focused on increasing the number of living donor transplants in the United States through policy advocacy, education, and community organizing. For more details, visit www.kidneytransplantcollaborative.com.