[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 33 (Tuesday, February 27, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E402]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       INTRODUCTION OF THE KIDNEY CARE QUALITY AND EDUCATION ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. JOHN LEWIS

                               of georgia

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, February 27, 2007

  Mr. LEWIS of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of the Kidney 
Care Quality and Education Act that I am proud to introduce today with 
my colleague from Michigan, Mr. Camp. This comprehensive legislation 
will help educate Americans about how to prevent and delay the onset of 
kidney disease and ensure high quality care for patients with 
irreversible kidney failure.
  More than 400,000 Americans have kidney failure, which is also known 
as End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD). The only treatment available to 
these patients is a kidney transplant or renal dialysis. Because there 
are so few kidneys available for transplantation, most dialysis 
patients must undergo 3-hour treatment sessions three to four times per 
week.
  Diabetes and hypertension are two of the leading causes of kidney 
disease. We continue to see the numbers of Americans with these 
conditions rise, and as a result, we will continue to see more 
Americans suffering from chronic kidney disease. Statistics show that 
African Americans are particularly at risk for kidney disease and 
kidney failure. They make up more than one third of all patients on 
dialysis in this country. Most alarming, the growth rate of kidney 
failure among African Americans age 30 to 39 has risen 26 percent since 
2000 and it shows no signs of stopping. African Americans have a higher 
risk of developing the conditions that lead to kidney failure. For 
example, the American Heart Association reports that more than 40 
percent of African Americans have hypertension. African Americans with 
diabetes experience kidney failure about four times more often than 
white Americans with diabetes. In addition, African Americans are less 
likely to receive treatment in the early stages of the disease or to 
learn about how they can slow the progress of kidney disease.
  The Kidney Care Quality and Education Act will help address these 
issues by improving public awareness about kidney disease and improving 
access to quality care. The importance of educating our citizens about 
kidney disease cannot be understated. The Kidney Care Quality and 
Education Act will provide funding to establish critical educational 
programs to increase public awareness about kidney disease treatment 
and prevention. These programs will also help people already suffering 
from chronic kidney disease and kidney failure, by providing important 
self-management skills that will improve their quality of life and help 
them continue their normal activities, such as working. This 
legislation also takes steps to improve the quality of kidney care by 
creating a 3-year Continuous Quality Improvement Initiative within the 
Medicare ESRD Program.
  I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this important 
legislation, which also has the support of all sectors of the kidney 
care community. We should maintain our commitment to Americans with 
kidney failure by improving the quality of care for these patients and 
help slow the occurrence of chronic kidney disease and kidney failure.

                          ____________________