DATE: October 23, 2024

[Washington, D.C. – October 23, 2024] — A new analysis of kidney waitlist data released by the Kidney Transplant Collaborative (KTC) underscores a critical and growing challenge facing the U.S. healthcare system: a dramatic increase in the number of individuals waiting for a kidney transplant, especially in key presidential swing states.

“We are facing a crisis. The growing kidney transplant waitlist is a matter of life and death, and it’s critical that we support policies that incentivize donation, reduce geographic disparities, and ensure every person in need of a kidney transplant has a chance to survive,” said the Kidney Transplant Collaborative.

As of 2023, approximately 88,500 Americans are on the kidney transplant waitlist, with 12-17 individuals dying every day while waiting. In just the last five years, several swing states have seen alarming spikes in waitlist additions, including:

• Nevada: 66% increase in waitlist additions.
• Illinois: 442 additional people now waiting for a kidney transplant.
• North Carolina: a more than 20% growth in the waitlist.

States like Michigan, Arizona, Wisconsin, and North Carolina— critical battlegrounds for the 2024 election— have experienced a near three times the growth rate in transplant waitlist additions compared to other states, exacerbating the already severe inequities in access to life- saving care. There are as many individuals on the kidney transplant waitlist in Virginia than

Virginians who died of overdoses1 and there are three times more Virginians on the kidney transplant waitlist than people killed in auto accidents in Virginia2.

The number of individuals waiting for a kidney transplant has risen dramatically over the last 5 years in key states.

KTC is calling for urgent action to address the disparities in kidney transplant access, particularly in underserved communities. The rising number of patients awaiting a kidney transplant highlights the need for comprehensive national legislation to support both living and deceased organ donors.

Most recently, a strong bipartisan coalition of members of the U.S. House of Representatives wrote to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Innovation Center calling for increased support for living organ donation through the proposed Increasing Organ Transplant Access (IOTA) Model. KTC proudly played a leading role in convening this important coalition representing a broad spectrum of the House of Representatives. The letter highlights the critical need for policies that remove barriers to living kidney donations and ensure equitable access to transplants for all Americans.

The House letter, signed by lawmakers from both sides of the aisle, calls attention to the ongoing crisis in End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) care and emphasizes the need for comprehensive action to increase access to life-saving kidney transplants, including increased support for living donors. The letter recommends that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation include coverage of navigators for both recipients and living donors, and full cost reimbursement for living donors, as part of the IOTA model. The letter can be viewed here.

KTC is advocating for the Living Organ Volunteer Engagement (LOVE) Act, which will improve education, support, and reimbursement for living kidney donors. This bill is a crucial step in addressing the systemic challenges of transplant access and could save countless lives. The LOVE Act will empower the creation of a patient navigator program, enhance public awareness, and support living donors— efforts that are essential for building a national kidney transplant system that works for everyone.

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.

1. https://www.vdh.virginia.gov/drug-overdose- data/#:~:text=In%202022%2C%20there%20were%3A&text=2%2C490%20drug%20overdose%20deaths %20among,a%205%25%20decrease%20from%202021.&text=Almost%20eight%20out%20of%2010,%2 C%20fentanyl%20analogs%2C%20and%20tramadol.&text=22%2C398%20drug%20overdose%20emerg ency%20department,a%205%25%20increase%20from%202021
2. https://www.drivesmartva.org/about-dsv/annual- report/#:~:text=The%20Virginia%20Department%20of%20Motor,annual%20Distracted%20Driving%20Aw areness%20Month