Medicare Advantage Enrollment and Access to Kidney Transplant After the 21st Century Cures Act

This study aimed to compare kidney transplant and wait-listing rates between Medicare Advantage and traditional Medicare beneficiaries with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) following the 21st Century Cures Act. The findings revealed that Medicare Advantage enrollees had significantly lower rates of both kidney transplants and incident wait-listing compared to those in traditional Medicare, highlighting potential disparities in access to this critical treatment. The authors suggest that policy oversight may be necessary to ensure equitable access to kidney transplants for the growing Medicare Advantage population.