|
Common Questions
Our HelpLine answers nearly 6,000 questions each year. Here are some of the questions that we get asked most often:
Kidney Health
Does kidney disease run in families?
How can I prevent kidney stones?
Is alcohol or soda bad for the kidneys?
Is cranberry juice good for the kidneys?
How much water should I drink?
Why is smoking bad for the kidneys?
When will there be a cure?
Paying for Treatment
What kind of help does the American Kidney Fund provide?
Who pays for dialysis or a kidney transplant?
Where can I get help paying for my medicines?
Dialysis Questions
Where can I find a list of dialysis centers?
How long can a person live on dialysis?
What should I do if I have a complaint about my dialysis center?
Transplant Questions
How do I get a kidney transplant?
How long is the wait for a kidney transplant?
Organ and Tissue Donation
How can I become an organ and tissue donor?
If I'm an organ donor, will emergency room doctors work as hard to save me?
Can I sell one of my kidneys?
Kidney Health
Does kidney disease run in families?
The leading causes of kidney failure are diabetes and high blood pressure. These often run in families.
The only common cause of kidney failure that is directly passed down from your parents is PKD (Polycystic Kidney Disease). PKD is a disease in which cysts (pouches of fluid) form in the kidneys. More cysts grow and they get bigger as time goes on, eventually leading to kidney failure. For more information, contact the Polycystic Kidney Disease Foundation, toll-free 800-PKD-CURE, or at http://www.pkdcure.org
How can I prevent kidney stones?
There are a few things you can do to help prevent kidney stones from forming. First, you will need to know which type of kidney stone you have. There are four main types of kidney stones, and how you prevent them depends on which type you have.
- Calcium Stones: These are the most common. Talk to your doctor before reducing the calcium in your diet. This could lead to weaker bones and muscles. Instead, ask your doctor about reducing sodium in your diet.
- Struvite Stones: These are made of magnesium and ammonia and are common after urinary tract infections (UTIs).
- Uric Acid Stones: These are often caused by too much acid from red meat. Talk to your doctor about cutting back the amount of red meat in your diet.
- Cystine Stones: These are rare, and are often due to an inherited disease.
Drinking plenty of water to flush out buildup in the kidneys will also help prevent any type of kidney stone from forming. Medicines may also be an option for calcium and uric acid stones. Visit our kidney stones page for more information.
Is alcohol or soda bad for the kidneys?
Not always. In moderation, alcohol and soda are not bad for the kidneys. But, both affect the kidneys indirectly. Alcoholic beverages and sodas are high in calories, and too much of them are not good for anyone with diabetes. Diabetes is the number one cause of kidney failure.
A new study linked drinking two or more cola drinks (either diet or regular) each day with an increased risk for chronic kidney disease. Other kinds of sodas did not increase the risk for chronic kidney disease.
Also, while alcohol affects the liver more directly, it can raise blood pressure. High blood pressure may damage the kidneys. High blood pressure is the number two cause of kidney failure.
Alcohol also can be dangerous to drink when you are on some kinds of medicine. Make sure to ask your doctor or pharmacist about how alcohol can affect your medicines.
Is cranberry juice good for the kidneys?
Cranberry juice may help prevent urinary tract infections (UTIs). The juice makes it hard for germs (bacteria) to grow in your bladder.
How much water should I drink?
You may not need to drink eight glasses of water every day to stay healthy, as once thought. But, water is still a better choice than drinks that have caffeine like soda, coffee or tea. These drinks can actually make you more thirsty. Avoiding extra sugary juices and fruit punches is also a good idea, especially if you have diabetes. Drinking plenty of water may also help prevent kidney stones.
If you are on dialysis, you will need to limit how much you drink. Talk to your doctor about how much fluid you can drink.
Why is smoking bad for the kidneys?
Smoking increases a person’s risk for kidney cancer, but it also hurts your heart and blood vessels. This damage can cause high blood pressure. High blood pressure is the second leading cause of kidney failure. If a person already has kidney disease, smoking can make it worse more quickly.
When will there be a cure?
A cure for kidney failure is still many years away. But, the treatments for kidney failure continue to get better. American Kidney Fund research seeks to improve the lives of patients fighting kidney disease. Click here for more information on our Clinical Scientist in Nephrology research program.
Paying for Treatment
What kind of help does the American Kidney Fund provide?
Providing financial assistance to people who are living with kidney disease is at the heart of the American Kidney Fund's mission. Since our founding in 1971, we have assisted hundreds of thousands of kidney patients with their treatment-related expenses. Last year, more than 63,500 kidney patients nationwide received assistance from the American Kidney Fund. Click here for more information on our Patient Grants.
Who pays for dialysis or a kidney transplant?
The costs of dialysis or a kidney transplant are high. But, some form of insurance covers almost all kidney patients.
Medicare: Most patients with permanent kidney failure are eligible for Medicare, at any age, if they, their spouse or parent have worked long enough under Social Security. Depending on which treatment you choose, there can be a three-month wait for Medicare eligibility. Normally, Medicare pays 100% of approved hospital costs (Part A) and 80% of medical expenses, including dialysis (Part B). Part B requires a monthly premium. The premium depends on your how much money you make. Click here for the latest premium information. Medicare can also help pay for your medicines (Part D). Click here for more information on Medicare Part D for kidney patients.
But, Medicare alone is not enough to cover all your medical costs. There are other ways to supplement Medicare.
Private insurance: Most private and work insurance plans also help pay for dialysis and/or a kidney transplant. If you are covered by an employer group plan, there are special rules for coordination of benefits with Medicare. The group plan will be the primary (80%) payer for 30 months and Medicare will be secondary (20%). After 30 months, Medicare becomes primary.
Medigap: Kidney patients over the age of 65 often can get a "Medigap" policy. The policy will help pay Medicare deductibles and co-payments (the 20%). In some states, people under 65 can also get "Medigap" insurance.
Medicaid: Medicaid is a health insurance program for people with low income and savings. Income limits vary by state. Applications must be made through the local Social Services Department. Some hospitals also have departments that will help with Medicaid applications. Medicaid can supplement Medicare, or it can pay 100% if the patient is not eligible for Medicare. It may also cover prescription drugs and transportation.
Click here for more information on finding affordable health insurance in your state.
Where can I get help paying for my medicines?
Medicare now has a prescription drug benefit. If you are eligible for a Medicare-approved drug discount card, you can save between 11%-18% on many brand name drugs and even more on generic drugs. This benefit is available to you regardless of your income, and has no effect on your existing coverage. Click here for more information on Medicare Part D for kidney patients.
Many private and work insurance plans include reimbursement for prescription drugs. Check your policy or call your insurance carrier to find out how your program works.
Medicaid, the program for low-income patients also has prescription benefits.
Some drug companies have special programs for people who do not have insurance coverage for medicines and cannot afford their own. To find out if you qualify, require, visit www.pparx.org.
The Together RX Access Card may also be able to help. The card can help uninsured patients get a 25-40% discount on over 300 prescription drugs. Visit www.togetherrxaccess.com or call (800)444-4106.
The American Kidney Fund provides help with medicine costs for low-income patients who have no other coverage. Click here for more information on our Patient Grant programs.
Dialysis Questions
Where can I find a list of dialysis centers?
To find a dialysis center anywhere in the U.S., use Medicare's Dialysis Facility Compare. Dialysis Facility Compare can help you find a dialysis center that is right for you. Click here to visit Dialysis Facility Compare.
How long can a person live on dialysis?
With good care, a person can live a very full life on dialysis for many years. However, the average life expectancy for all dialysis patients is currently between five and six years.
What should I do if I have a complaint about my dialysis center?
Any problems you run into in the dialysis center should be taken up the chain of command. If you can't work out the problem with the person involved, you can talk to the Charge Nurse, then the Director of Nursing, and then the Administrator. Of course, your doctor should also know about any difficulty you are having. If you are still not satisfied, you should contact the ESRD Network for your area or the state health inspector.
Click here to find the ESRD Network in your area.
Transplant Questions
How do I get a kidney transplant?
The first step is to talk with your health care team. Your doctor, nurses, social worker and dietitian at your dialysis center know your medical condition. They can tell you if your medical condition will allow for a transplant. They can also tell you about the transplant process and the pros and cons of a transplant. They may also be able to introduce you to someone who has had a transplant. It's important to remember that a transplant can provide a more "normal" lifestyle. It frees you from dialysis and diet limits, but it is not a cure. Transplant recipients must take medicines, called immunosuppressants, to stop their bodies from "rejecting" the new kidney. They also need to get regular checkups for the rest of their lives.
If you and your health care team feel that a transplant would be a good option for you, you will be referred to a transplant center. There a transplant coordinator will teach you more about the possibility of a transplant. To make sure that you are healthy enough for a transplant, you will also be thoroughly tested. If the testing shows you are healthy enough, you will be placed on a waiting list for a kidney or scheduled for a living donor transplant. See our transplant page for more information about kidney transplants.
For more information about the transplant waiting list, visit the United Network for Organ Sharing's Transplant Living website.
How long is the wait for a kidney transplant?
The wait for a transplant can range from a number of weeks to a several years. Many things are considered when an organ becomes available, including:
· Tissue match (how close of a match is the organ to you)
· Blood type
· How long you have been waiting
· Immune status/antibody levels
· Distance (how close the organ is to you)
· Medical urgency
· Age (children tend to have shorter wait times)
· Recipient availability (can you make it to the hospital in time?)
· Current health
· Willingness to have immediate surgery (are you ready for the surgery?)
All of these factors can affect a person's wait time for a kidney transplant.
For more information about the transplant waiting list, visit the United Network for Organ Sharing's Transplant Living website.
Organ and Tissue Donation
How can I become an organ, eye and tissue donor?
Almost 100,000 men, women and children currently need life-saving organ transplants. An average of 18 people die each day from the lack of available organs for transplant.
But, you can help! By signing up to be a donor and telling your family about your wishes, you can change lives.
Every state have different ways for you to become a donor. Click here for how to be a donor in your state!
If I'm an organ donor, will emergency room doctors work as hard to save me?
If you are sick or injured and admitted to the hospital, the number one priority is to save your life. Organ, eye and tissue donation can only be considered after you have died.
Can I sell one of my kidneys?
NO. The National Organ Transplant Act of 1984 made the selling of organs and tissue illegal. There is also no black market for kidneys. If you would like to give the gift of life and become an organ and tissue donor, click here for how to be a donor in your state.
Updated 1/22/2008 | 
