February was an eventful month for the JELF community and the ASPN Public Policy Committee. Hill Day was held virtually on February 14 and was well attended by PPC members and Congress representatives. For this Hill Day, we focused on a few main asks relating to appropriations for the 2025 and 2026 fiscal years. First, we called for expanded support of the NIH and NIDDK in order to continue to support kidney research. We conveyed our concern for federal funding pauses and interruptions in the grant review process which may have far-reaching impacts on biomedical research as a whole. Second, we asked for continued support of the Health Resources and Services Administration’s (HRSA) effort to modernize the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN), to better support pediatric patients who need a kidney transplant, and to ensure that there is pediatric representation on all organ-specific committees. Third, we asked for Congress to expand appropriations for the Pediatric Subspecialty Loan Repayment program, in order to help alleviate the workforce shortage in pediatric subspecialties. Finally, we requested CMS to address coverage challenges for pediatric patients dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid, particularly patients with ESKD, so that they do not lose coverage for crucial medications, nutritional formulas, and devices.
I have been meeting with my JELF mentor, Jill Krissberg and brainstorming for my JELF scholarly project. My goal is to distribute information on social work services and legal resources for patients facing immigration challenges at our pediatric nephrology clinics. I would also like to educate providers on how to respond to these issues, so our patients continue to receive the care they need. I look forward to partnering with my institution’s social work and legal departments to disseminate this information at our clinics.
Finally, the JELF scholars are looking forward to the AAP advocacy conference which will be held in Arlington, VA in March. We are excited to advocate for our patients with our fellow pediatricians and make our voices heard on Capitol Hill!
Author: Carol Shen.
