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Click in for more news from The Hill{beacon} Healthcare Healthcare The Big Story Trump launches national kidney care plan The Trump administration launched the Kidney Care National Plan Tuesday, aiming to improve structural kidney care deficiencies the Health and Human Services (HHS) Department says lead to higher costs and lower quality. © Rich Pedroncelli, Associated Press The new plan calls for more competition in treatment markets that have been dominated by companies DaVita Inc. and Fresenius Medical Care, which collectively constitute roughly 74 percent of the market. The initiative will also seek to reform the transplant system. Roughly 90,000 Americans remain on the kidney transplant waiting list, with many waiting three to five years for a donor kidney. HHS said it will advance a National Transplant Expansion Strategy that builds on the foundation established by a 2019 executive order, during President Trump’s first term. The strategy will make living donation easier and more accessible, so more patients can receive the transplants they need, the department said. The plan will also focus on preventive care: detecting kidney disease earlier, intervening sooner and advancing treatments that can slow or stop disease progression. Kidney disease is one of the nation's most common chronic diseases, affecting an estimated 37 million American adults. However, most of those affected by kidney disease do not know they have it, so too often, treatment begins only after significant damage has occurred. HHS indicated the systemic failures are at least partly the result of government overreach. A primary barrier to better prevention, for instance, is the federal government's role in paying for end-stage renal disease care. “In many cases, government should do less, focusing its efforts on promoting accountability, competition, and innovation,” the plan recommends. “An affirmative federal role is warranted in the narrow circumstances where a specific, identifiable market failure prevents private actors from serving the public interest.” Welcome to The Hill’s Healthcare newsletter, we’re Nathaniel Weixel and Joseph Choi — every week we follow the latest moves on how Washington impacts your health. Did someone forward you this newsletter? Subscribe here. Essential Reads How policy will be impacting the healthcare sector this week and beyond: CDC recognizes third measles death, still short of Pennsylvania count The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has added a third U.S. measles death to its national tracker as total cases for 2026 surpass 4,400. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) told Reuters the CDC updated its count after the National Center for Health Statistics received a report of a measles-related death and verified the disease was the underlying cause, the Department of Health and Human Services … Full Story National Guard member shot in DC after trying to break up fight A member of the National Guard was shot in the leg late Sunday while attempting to break up a fight in Southeast Washington, police said Monday. The injured guard member and the suspected shooter were hospitalized, and their injuries were not deemed life-threatening. The shooting occurred around 11:10 p.m. EDT in the 400 block of 8th Street SE, according to interim Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) Chief Jeffery Carroll. … Full Story Warren warns against Sysco-Restaurant Depot merger Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren (Mass.) on Sunday warned against a merger between Sysco and Restaurant Depot, arguing it could lead to an increase in restaurant prices. “Watch out: going out to eat at your favorite restaurant could become even more expensive,” Warren wrote on the social platform X. “The Trump administration might approve a merger between Sysco and Restaurant Depot — threatening higher supply costs for small … Full Story In Other News Branch out with a different read:Virginia Democrat becomes latest lawmaker to receive suspicious white powder Rep. Suhas Subramanyam (D-Va.) is the latest lawmaker to report receiving suspicious mail containing white powder in the last month. “I can confirm that my office in Leesburg received an envelope containing a suspicious substance. The office was promptly evacuated,” Subramanyam said on social platform X, adding his thanks to the Leesburg Police, Loudoun County Fire and Rescue and hazmat team and the Capitol Police for their … Full Story Around the Nation Local and state headlines on healthcare: When Idaho banned abortion, OB-GYNs fled. The doctors who stayed are cracking (New York Times) 700 doctors endorse Abdul El-Sayed as GOP attacks his credentials (The Detroit News) California falls short on Medi-Cal fraud, state report says (CalMatters) What We're Reading Health news we’ve flagged from other outlets: Nurses are in high demand—but they’re quitting in droves (Wall Street Journal) The key health care ballot measures we’re watching in the midterms (Stat) Birth centers are linked to better health outcomes, research shows, but 10 states have none (Stateline) What People Think Opinions related to health submitted to The Hill: The Affordable Care Act has proven unaffordableThe pill in your medicine cabinet is a national security issue You’re all caught up. See you tomorrow! [sailthru_widget name="Sailthru Widget Block" sailthru_list="Health Care" title="Health Care"]document fetched 2026-10-21 02:56 · canonical https://thehill.com/newsletters/healthcare/6161527-trump-administration-national-kidney-care-plan