VA and American Kidney Fund partnership

Veterans have higher rates of chronic kidney disease (CKD) than the general population. While kidney disease affects one in seven Americans, it affects about one in six Veterans, including more than 40,000 VA-enrolled Veterans with kidney failure.

VA and the American Kidney Fund (AKF) collaborate to maintain and enhance health care resources and support for the estimated 600,000 Veterans with CKD. Facilitated by VHA’s National Center for Healthcare Advancement and Partnerships (HAP), the VHA-AKF partnership will soon be renewed under the management of the VHA Office of Kidney Medicine.

Kidney disease is a leading cause of death in the U.S., affecting 37 million Americans nationwide. Additionally, diabetes and high blood pressure, the two leading causes of kidney disease, affect 25% and 81% of the Veteran population. AKF’s mission is to fight kidney disease and help people live healthier lives. This includes supporting people with kidney disease at every stage of their disease, fighting for kidney health equity, providing financial assistance to patients in need and providing research grants to nephrology fellows.

“Tackling the health equity crisis in the kidney community is one of AKF’s top priorities. There are significant racial and ethnic disparities for Veterans with kidney disease, with Black Veterans nearly twice as likely as non-Hispanic white Veterans to develop CKD,” said Michael Spigler, vice president, Patient Support and Education, American Kidney Fund. “By collaborating with VA, we hope to expand access to valuable health care resources and empower Veterans to prevent kidney disease altogether.”   

American Kidney Fund financial assistance to over 6,000 Veterans

AKF’s initiatives help raise awareness about Veterans and kidney disease nationwide. AKF has provided financial assistance to over 6,000 Veterans, and the Know Your Kidneys campaign videos were shared in approximately 1,700 VA clinics across the country.

“HAP is committed to increasing health care resources and access to care for Veterans with kidney disease by leveraging resources inside and outside of VA,” said Georgi Bady, HAP health system specialist. “The VHA-AKF partnership is a valuable resource supporting VA’s goal to help Veterans living with kidney disease receive the best care possible.”

American Kidney Fund resources

• Benefits for Veterans: A Veteran-specific handout covering financial assistance programs and VA kidney services.
• Clinical Scientist in Nephrology Program: AKF’s fellowship program that strives to improve the quality of care provided to kidney patients, promotes clinical research in nephrology and enhances the training of nephrologists pursuing academic careers.
• Educational resources: An extensive database of resources to help prevent and manage kidney disease.
• Financial assistance: Need-based financial assistance programs that help patients with health insurance premiums, transportation costs, prescription medications and more.
• Kidney Kitchen: Recipes, cooking demonstrations and downloadable guides to help people with kidney disease navigate healthy eating.
• Know How to Manage Your Kidney Disease for Veterans: A Veteran-specific handout discussing the stages of kidney disease, risks for kidney failure, treatment options, and more.
• Know Your Kidneys guide: A helpful guide with tips for talking to your doctor about preventing kidney disease if you have diabetes or high blood pressure.
• Veterans and Kidney Disease: AKF’s web page dedicated to Veteran-specific information and resources.

VA resources

• Dialysis: A list of over 150 VA medical centers that provide dialysis. VA encourages home dialysis for medically suitable Veterans. VA also pays for Veterans to receive dialysis from over 6,600 VA-contracted community providers.
• Kidney research: VA’s kidney research portfolio focused on prevention and optimal treatment.
• Kidney transplant: A webpage dedicated to information about transplants and transplant center locations.
• VA eKidney Clinic: VA’s eKidney Clinic helps Veterans learn how to take care of their kidneys and make positive health choices.
• VA TeleNephrology Program: VA uses telehealth technologies that allow Veterans living with kidney disease to connect to their care team from their home, clinic or hospital.
• Veteran CKD toolkit: VA’s kidney disease fact sheet, including a kidney disease overview, Veteran-specific tools and resources, prevention information, VA kidney services and more.
• Veterans Health Library.

VHA – AKF partnership resources

• VHA and American Kidney Fund Partnership: Infographic discussing the VHA-AKF partnership, VA benefits and resources, and partnership goals.
• VHA and American Kidney Fund Partnership: VHA information sheet with kidney disease overview, VHA-AKF partnership overview, and links to VA and AKF resources.

For more information about VA partnerships, visit the HAP website.

For more information about CKD resources, visit the American Kidney Fund website.