86R9318 BK-D
By: Guillen H.C.R. No. 43
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, More than 30 million people are estimated to have
kidney disease in the United States, and one in every three
Americans is at risk for developing the disease due to diabetes,
high blood pressure, or a family history of renal failure; and
WHEREAS, The kidneys are vital organs that perform a number
of tasks crucial to overall health, including filtering blood,
regulating blood pressure, and controlling red blood cell
production; and
WHEREAS, Chronic kidney disease is characterized by the
gradual loss of kidney function, which in advanced stages results
in the dangerous buildup of fluids, electrolytes, and wastes in the
body; because kidney disease often has few or no symptoms in its
early stages, it frequently goes unnoticed until kidney function is
significantly impaired; and
WHEREAS, Currently, there are more than 50,000 Texans
receiving dialysis due to impaired kidney function, and the cost of
providing this treatment is high, at an average of more than $80,000
per person annually; in 2016, the total Medicare cost of chronic
kidney disease and end-stage renal disease was a combined $114
billion; in addition, kidney patients comprise the vast majority of
those on the national organ transplant waiting list, where they
face a median wait time of 3.6 years; and
WHEREAS, Chronic kidney disease imposes a heavy physical,
emotional, and economic burden, but studies have continuously
attested to the benefits of early detection and treatment in
reducing the incidence of end-stage renal disease and lessening the
need for renal dialysis and transplants to keep patients healthy;
the observance of Kidney Health Awareness Month provides an
opportunity to focus attention on a health issue that may be going
unnoticed by many thousands of Texans, as well as to highlight
chronic kidney disease as an urgent priority for our state; now,
therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the 86th Legislature of the State of Texas
hereby designate February as Kidney Health Awareness Month; and, be
it further
RESOLVED, That, in accordance with the provisions of Section
391.004(d), Government Code, this designation remain in effect
until the 10th anniversary of the date that this resolution is
finally passed by the legislature.