Chronic kidney disease is common among adults. 15% of U.S. adults may have it but 9-in-10 don’t know they do. *
“As we age, chronic kidney disease becomes a real risk and getting needed care is going to be an expense many are simply not prepared for.”
Jesse Slome, director of the American Association of Critical Illness Insurance
The following are kidney disease statistics 2020
15% of U.S. adults are estimated to have chronic kidney disease (CKD). That’s 37 million people.
The vast majority do not know they have it. As many as 9 in 10 adults do not know they have CKD.
Half of people with very low kidney function and who are not undergoing dialysis do NOT know they have CKD.
Chronic kidney disease is more common in adults age 65 or older. 38% of adults 65+ have CKD.
Among people age 45-to-64, it’s 13%
Chronic kidney disease statistics show increased other health risks
Having CKD increases the chances of also having heart disease and stroke.
Dialysis or a kidney transplant is often needed when kidney damage is severe and kidney function is very low. Kidney failure treated with dialysis or a kidney transplant is called end-stage kidney disease (ESKD). Critical illness insurance policies may cover situations when kidneys cease to function or when a renal (kidney) transplant is initiated.
In 2016, nearly 125,000 people in the United States started treatment for ESKD. More than 726,000 (2 in every 1,000 people) were on dialysis or were living with a kidney transplant.
“Critical illness insurance policies cover more than simply cancer, heart attacks and strokes,” explains Jesse Slome, director of the American Association for Critical Illness Insurance. “Chronic kidney disease becomes a real risk as we age. Getting needed care is going to be an expense many are simply not prepared for.”
Many companies offer employer critical illness insurance on a voluntary basis to their employees. “See what conditions are covered and to compare pricing,” Slome advises. “Comparing your offered group coverage to an individual coverage available directly from insurance companies can be most worthwhile.“
