Suzan DelBene (D-WA)
Kidney Disease Education Access Expansion Act of 2026
A Democratic bill with 2 Republican cosponsors · See all 5 cosponsors
Last activity — Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The Kidney Disease Education Access Expansion Act of 2026 seeks to change how kidney disease education is covered under Medicare and private health insurance. It expands the list of qualified people who can provide these services to include various medical professionals and community health workers. The bill broadens eligibility to include those with hypertension, diabetes, or other risk factors rather than just those at advanced stages. It also expands the types of education provided, such as transplant assistance and therapeutic options. Additionally, it incorporates kidney disease screening into initial preventive physical exams and annual wellness visits. Finally, it requires the creation of a working group to evaluate the effectiveness of these education services.
Yes· 3 of 23
- Scored +9
Would people over 65 be better off under this?
Seniors are a primary demographic for Medicare and the most likely to suffer from kidney disease.
- Scored +9
Would retired people be better off under this?
Retirees using Medicare benefit directly from expanded eligibility and provider options.
- Scored +8
Does this make health care easier to get in general?
Significantly expands access to kidney disease education via telehealth, group settings, and a wider range of providers.
The opposite
- Scored -1
Does this lower what people pay for private health insurance?
Mandating kidney education as a preventive service under private insurance may lead to marginal premium increases.
- Scored -1
Does this reduce what the federal government owes?
Increased Medicare coverage and spending on education services may slightly increase federal expenditures.
- Scored -1
Does this reduce what the federal government spends?
Expanding eligible patients and providers under Medicare increases government healthcare spending.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Broader Eligibility for Education: The bill expands the group of people eligible for kidney disease education to include individuals with hypertension, diabetes, or any stage of chronic kidney disease, rather than only those at stage IV (Section 2(a)(2)).
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Increased Access to Providers: The definition of a "qualified person" is expanded to include physician assistants, registered nurses, nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, clinical social workers, registered dietitians, and trained community health workers (Section 2(a)(1)).
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Enhanced Educational Scope: Education services will now include therapeutic options to slow kidney function decline, caregiver training for new transplant recipients, and transition assistance for individuals who have received a kidney transplant (Section 2(a)(3)(B)).
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Improved Screening Access: The bill adds screenings for chronic kidney disease, kidney failure, and rare kidney diseases to the initial preventive physical examination (Section 2(b)) and includes kidney disease screenings in annual wellness visits (Section 2(c)).
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Flexible Learning Options: Education services can now be provided in individual or group settings and can include the presence of a caregiver (Section 2(a)(3)(A)).
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Expanded Service Delivery: Kidney disease education services are explicitly included as a service that can be furnished through telehealth (Section 2(e)).
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Private Insurance Coverage: The bill adds kidney disease education services as a preventive service under private health insurance (Section 4(a)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- No specific negative impacts are explicitly detailed in the text of the bill.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would retired people be better off under this? — Retirees using Medicare benefit directly from expanded eligibility and provider options. Would people over 65 be better off under this? — Seniors are a primary demographic for Medicare and the most likely to suffer from kidney disease. Would people in rural areas be better off under this? — Explicitly supports rural providers and telehealth services to bridge the access gap. Would Black Americans be better off under this? — Provides expanded access to preventive kidney care for a group disproportionately affected by kidney disease. Would Hispanic Americans be better off under this? — Increases access to education for groups with higher rates of diabetes and hypertension. Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — Expanding coverage for preventive services and utilizing community health workers reduces financial barriers to care. Would Native Americans be better off under this? — Improves access via rural provider expansions and telehealth. Would people in middle age be better off under this? — Beneficial for adults with risk factors like diabetes and hypertension who can now access education. Would middle-income households be better off under this? — Increases coverage and options for kidney disease education through Medicare and private insurance. Would people with disabilities be better off under this? — Telehealth and caregiver presence options improve access for those with mobility or cognitive impairments. Would Asian Americans be better off under this? — Improves overall access to kidney disease education and screening. Would people in cities be better off under this? — Increases access via private insurance and Medicare expansions. Would white Americans be better off under this? — Increases healthcare education and preventive options. Would high-income households be better off under this? — Improves access to healthcare education and preventive screenings. Would farmers be better off under this? — Rural provider expansions may benefit those in farming communities.
- Healthcare
- Does this make health care easier to get in general? — Significantly expands access to kidney disease education via telehealth, group settings, and a wider range of providers. Does this lower what a hospital stay costs? — Better education and early screening for kidney disease can reduce expensive emergency admissions and dialysis needs. Does this put more money into Medicare, the health coverage for people over 65? — The bill expands the scope and eligibility of services covered by Medicare. Does this put more money into medical research? — Establishes a working group to develop methodologies for measuring educational effectiveness. Does this lower what people pay for private health insurance? — Mandating kidney education as a preventive service under private insurance may lead to marginal premium increases.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Does this narrow racial gaps in how people are treated? — Including community health workers and expanding telehealth can improve access for underserved populations.
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Does this invest in rural communities? — Specifically expands the definition of qualified providers to include those in rural areas.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this give the federal government more power? — Increases the authority of the HHS Secretary to determine provider training and assessment frameworks.
- Economy And Finance
- Is this likely to create jobs? — Expanding the number of qualified providers, including community health workers, may increase demand for health education roles. Does this reduce what the federal government spends? — Expanding eligible patients and providers under Medicare increases government healthcare spending. Does this reduce what the federal government owes? — Increased Medicare coverage and spending on education services may slightly increase federal expenditures.
- 11/9/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 9/14/2026
- 2 Cosponsors added.
- 9/10/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 6/29/2026
- Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- Introduced in House
Sharice DavidsDemocrat · Kansas
John JoyceRepublican · Pennsylvania
Michael LawlerRepublican · New York
Sarah McBrideDemocrat · Delaware
Mark PocanDemocrat · Wisconsin