Welcome to the Chronic Kidney Disease Insider Newsletter. If you are living with chronic kidney disease (CKD) on dialysis, have had a kidney transplant or are helping care for someone who is, this newsletter was created for you and your family! The content is meant to keep you and/or a family member up to date on the latest information to help you manage your health now and in the near future in consultation with your physician.
In this month’s CKD Insider:
News from Kidney Organizations
Kindness for Kidneys Support Group Meeting
The founder of Kindness for Kidneys, Sharron Rouse, uses her own experience with chronic kidney disease, dialysis, and a kidney transplant to help others in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area.
Kindness for Kidneys is an international, voluntary nonprofit health organization dedicated to raising awareness and public health education of kidney disease. The support group typically meets on the second Sunday of every month, this month it is the first Sunday due to the holiday and their 7th annual holiday drive. Learn more at: info@kindnessforkidneys.org
Kindness for Kidneys Support Group
Date: Sunday, December 1st
Time: 3:30 PM EST
NKFM (S.O.C.K.S) Support Group Meeting
The National Kidney Foundation of Michigan (NKFM) Supporting our Chronic Kidney Struggles (S.O.C.K.S) group is hosting their regular virtual support group session for individuals living with kidney disease. This is a safe space for you to share and discuss the issues, challenges, and triumphs faced by others like you. Reach out with questions at: patientservices@nkfm.org or Phone: 800-482-1455 ext. 2570
S.O.C.K.S Support Group
When: Monday, December 2nd (1st and 3rd Monday of the Month)
Time: 6:30 – 8:00pm
Where: Zoom Video Conference
Sign up here
S.O.C.K.S also supports the Kidney Personal Action Toward Health (Kidney-PATH) training for people looking to manage their CKD. This is an 8-week workshop for participants who are in various stages of Chronic Kidney Disease. The first six weeks focus on overall healthy living, with two additional sessions that cover kidney specific content. The first six weeks were developed by Stanford University under the program name: Chronic Disease Self-Management Program. The last two weeks were developed by the NKFM.
There are two different workshop tracks based on the dates that are most convenient for you. Join the information session in the new year to learn more.
Workshop 1
When: Wednesdays at 6:00pm-8:00pm
Information Session: January 29 6:00pm-7:00pm
Sessions 1-8: Feb 5, 12, 19, 26, March 12, 19, 26, April 2 (No session March 5 due to Passover)
Workshop 2
When: Tuesdays at 1:00pm-3:00pm
Information session: February 11 1:00pm-3:00pm
Where: Virtual/Zoom
Sessions 1-8: Feb 18, 25, March 4, 11, 18, 25, April 1, 8
Enrollment Form is here.
Your Fun Tip of the Day
Holiday Fun Indoors
The holiday season is all about coming together, and when it’s cold outside, there’s nothing better than staying in and having some fun with games. Whether you’re cracking up over a hilarious round of Charades, getting competitive with Monopoly, or keeping it simple with a few hands of cards, there’s something for everyone to enjoy. If you’re in the mood to move, try a dance-off with Just Dance or some friendly racing with Mario Kart. It’s not about winning—it’s about the laughs, the snacks, and making cozy memories with the people you love. So grab a blanket, pour some hot chocolate, and let the good times roll!
Some game ideas to get you started!
Quanta Dialysis System Receives FDA 510(k) Clearance
What it is: The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has given 510(k) clearance for using the Quanta Dialysis System in the home dialysis setting. The Quanta™ Dialysis System is now the first FDA-cleared high dialysate flow (500 mL/min) system for home hemodialysis. This system was also the first FDA-cleared device that offered intermittent hemodialysis (IHD), sustained low-efficiency dialysis (SLED), and continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) without the need for bags. It is able to deliver a high dialysate flow rate of 500 mL/min, while also having the flexibility to deliver longer, slower therapies at a dialysate flow rate of 300 mL/min such as SLED.
Why it’s important: If you are looking for an alternative home dialysis system this is another option for you. The Quanta Dialysis System offers people on dialysis access to a high-flow system that also has the flexibility to deliver longer, slower therapies in the home that was previously only available in hospitals and centers.
Read the Quanta press release here.
FDA Grants Breakthrough Device Designation for Selective Cytopheretic Device to help reduce inflammation
What it is: The Selective Cytopheretic Device (SCD), developed by SeaStar Medical, targets the inflammation caused by continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT). The SCD is integrated into the hemofiltration system and selectively targets proinflammatory immune cells – like neutrophils and monocytes – to transition them to a less inflammatory, reparative state rather than simply filtering them out. The Breakthrough Device Designation is awarded to devices that “provide for more effective treatment or diagnosis of life-threatening or irreversibly debilitating diseases or conditions.” The designation has been awarded to SCD for chronic dialysis and Acute Kidney Injury (AKI).
Why it’s important: This new device can help you with the chronic fatigue you might experience due to dialysis. It's goal is to reduce inflammation and in a unique way. Rather than simply removing inflammatory cells that cause kidney and systemic damage, the SCD trains the immune system to work to the patient’s benefit.
This unique approach may help with long-term organ recovery, reducing the need for dialysis or organ transplantation, as well as lower repeat hospitalizations and decrease other symptoms of ESRD caused or worsened by inflammation, like chronic fatigue. Chronic dialysis comes at a high monetary cost, and dialysis-associated chronic fatigue is reported by many patients as a severe symptom, reducing overall quality of life. Rather than simply removing inflammatory cells that cause kidney and systemic damage, the SCD trains the immune system to work to the patient’s benefit.
Read the press release here.
Dialysis-Friendly Holiday Recipes
Enjoying Holiday Meals While Staying Healthy
Many holiday celebrations involve a meal among friends and family. This can be difficult for dialysis patients who need to consider certain dietary restrictions to remain healthy. You can still enjoy these holiday events by keeping in mind some guidelines for those on dialysis:
Choose ingredients low in sodium and potassium. Many Thanksgiving dishes naturally contain high amounts of sodium and potassium, so prioritize fresh options as much as possible. For instance, substitute canned vegetables with fresh ones and incorporate low-potassium options like cauliflower into your sides.
Limit processed foods and salty condiments. Processed items often have hidden sodium. Instead, prepare dishes from scratch with fresh ingredients and skip store-bought condiments that are typically high in salt.
Season with herbs and spices. Use flavorful herbs and spices like rosemary, thyme, and sage in place of salt to enhance the taste of your dishes without jeopardizing kidney health.
Monitor protein consumption. Protein is essential for those on dialysis. Make sure to prioritize protein consumption. However, many protein sources are high in potassium and salt. Avoid cured and highly processed meats. Whole turkeys – eaten at many holiday meal celebrations – are often brined. Turkey is a great option, but most store-bought whole turkeys have been injected with salt, which cannot be readily removed. Read the labels, skip the brine, or purchase separate turkey pieces rather than a whole turkey.
Monitor hydration. Drinking water throughout the day helps support kidney function and balances nutrient levels, especially during a holiday filled with rich foods. However, for those on dialysis, it’s important to stay within the fluid intake limits provided by your healthcare provider.
Try some of these dialysis-friendly holiday recipes:
Mashed Cauliflower (a great low-potassium alternative to mashed potatoes)
Davita and the Kidney Nutrition Institute have great databases that label dishes safe for those on dialysis, CKD without dialysis, following transplantation, etc.
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Updates
CMS Announces Delays and Changes to IOTA model to July 2025
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has delayed the start of the IOTA model to July 1st, 2025. The Increasing Organ Transplant Access (IOTA) Model was initially set to take effect on January 1st, 2025. This mandatory model aims to increase access to kidney transplantation and the number of kidney transplants, partly through increased coordination and support for participating hospitals. The payment structure incentivizes hospitals to perform more transplants, supports the use of deceased donor organs to increase available organs, and encourages living donations to address growing waitlists. There has been an increase in the number of people on transplant waiting lists, with some states seeing especially high spikes, underscoring how urgent the IOTA program is. In addition to the six-month delay, additional changes include:
"Increasing the maximum amount a transplant hospital may receive from CMS based on its performance score (upside risk payment) from $8,000 to $15,000 per Medicare kidney transplant.
Removing the requirement for providers to review organ offers declined on behalf of the attributed patient.
Adjusting the transplant target to reflect the average number of deceased or living donor transplants during the baseline years rather than the highest count.
Adjusting the quality strategy to allow for additional time for measure identification and stakeholder input, including removing three quality measures from the quality domain.
Removing the health equity payment adjustment and allowing the health equity plans to be voluntary. "
CMS Announces Changes to ESRD Prospective Payment System starting January 1,2025
On November 1, 2024, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released a final rule that updates the payment rates and policies for the End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Prospective Payment System (PPS). This applies to renal dialysis services provided to Medicare beneficiaries starting January 1, 2025. These changes will offer more expansive coverage for certain dialysis patients.
Key aspects of the changes include:
ESRD PPS base rates to dialysis facilities will increase to $273.82, resulting in a total payment increase to ESRD facilities by about 2.7%.
Extends Medicare payment to home dialysis for those with acute kidney injury (AKI). Previously only in-center dialysis was covered. The CMS will also now allow ESRD facilities to bill Medicare for home and self-dialysis training.
Incorporates oral-only phosphate binders into the ESRD PPS bundled payment, which were previously excluded.
Read more about these changes here.
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