USHBC Letter to Senate Urging Passage of Kidney Patient Act

To:
Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY)

322 Hart Senate Office Building

Washington, D.C. 20510

Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY)
317 Russell Senate Office Building

Washington, DC 20510

Cc:

Members of the United States Senate

Dear Senate Leadership, 

My name is Javier Palomarez, President and CEO of the United States Hispanic Business Council (USHBC). I am writing to you, alongside President of the National Urban League Marc Morial and the undersigned organizations, to express our strong support for the Kidney PATIENT Act (H.R. 5074/S. 4510) and to urge your leadership in its passage. This legislation, which seeks to prevent the movement of phosphate-lowering therapies from Medicare Part D to the End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Medicare Reimbursement Bundle, is critical to prevent the Hispanic and African American communities from losing access to life-saving treatments.

Diabetes Type-II, the leading cause of ESRD, has plagued the Hispanic and African American communities for years. In fact, Hispanic adults are 80% more likely than the general population to be diagnosed with Diabetes Type-II, while Hispanic children are five times more likely. An astonishing 46% of Hispanic children are currently diagnosed with the disease. When it comes to the African American community, adults are 60% more likely than the general population to be diagnosed with Diabetes Type II, and twice as likely to pass away as a result. Additionally, the African American community is three times more likely to develop ESRD after being diagnosed with Diabetes. Making phosphate-lowering therapies part of the ESRD payment bundle will only exacerbate the grim consequences of ESRD by preventing access to life-saving medicines. 

Phosphate-lowering therapies are essential for managing hyperphosphatemia, a dangerous complication of ESRD that can lead to heart attack, stroke and death if left untreated. Including these therapies in the ESRD Bundle would reduce access and affordability, further widening the already alarming healthcare disparities for Hispanic and African American patients. This has already been seen in the case of medicines and therapies like calcimimetics.

Quite simply, the move will risk the lives of the Hispanic and African American communities in the United States. These communities are critical to the wellbeing and prosperity for our nation, as they own and operate over 8 million businesses, have a combined GDP of nearly $5 trillion, and account for a third of the American workforce.

The Kidney PATIENT Act addresses this issue by ensuring these therapies remain accessible to all who need them, preventing further strain on communities that are already at a disadvantage in our healthcare system. Keeping these treatments available under Medicare Part D is crucial for the health and well-being of Americans battling ESRD.

We respectfully urge you to support this legislation and ensure that our communities continue to have access to the medicines that keep our families alive and healthy. Over 100 organizations, of various missions and communities, have backed this legislation. In addition, the legislation is gaining traction in the House with nearly 40 co-sponsors. 

Your leadership in the Senate can make a profound difference in addressing healthcare inequities for all Americans.

Sincerely,