Chronic Kidney Disease
Other Places To Get Help
Organizations
Medicare (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services) 7500 Security Boulevard Baltimore, MD 21244-1850 Phone: 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) toll-free for the Medicare speech-automated system
1-877-267-2323 toll-free for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid ServicesTDD: 1-866-226-1819 toll-free Web Address: www.medicare.gov This federal agency provides guides and other information on Medicare. The Official U.S. Government Site for People With Medicare (http://www.medicare.gov) provides useful information about Medicare enrollment, coverage, billing, appeals, and drug discount cards, as well as the latest Medicare policy changes impacting older Americans. Information on the Medicare Hospice Benefit and how to choose a nursing home is also included.
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) National Institutes of Health 9000 Rockville Pike Bethesda, MD 20892-2560 Phone: 1-800-860-8747
(301) 496-3583Web Address: www.niddk.nih.gov The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) provides information and conducts research on a wide variety of diseases as well as issues such as weight control and nutrition.
National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse 3 Information Way Bethesda, MD 20892-3580 Phone: 1-800-891-5390 Fax: (703) 738-4929 E-mail: nkudic@info.niddk.nih.gov Web Address: http://kidney.niddk.nih.gov The National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse (NKUDIC), a federal agency, is a service of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK). NIDDK is part of the National Institutes of Health under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The clearinghouse provides information about diseases of the kidneys and urologic system to people with kidney and urologic disorders and to their families, to health professionals, and to the public. NKUDIC answers inquiries; develops, reviews, and distributes publications; and works closely with professional and patient organizations and government agencies to coordinate resources about kidney and urologic diseases.
National Kidney Foundation 30 East 33rd Street New York, NY 10016 Phone: 1-800-622-9010
(212) 889-2210Fax: (212) 689-9261 Web Address: www.kidney.org The National Kidney Foundation works to prevent kidney and urinary tract diseases by supporting research and educating health professionals and the public. Its Web site provides a wealth of materials, including printable brochures, and a newspaper for patients and their families called Family Focus.
United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) 700 North 4th Street Richmond, VA 23219 Phone: 1-888-894-6361 Web Address: www.unos.org The United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) is a nonprofit scientific and educational organization that administers the nation's only Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN). It was established by the U.S. Congress in 1984. UNOS collects and manages data about every transplant event occurring in the United States, facilitates the organ matching and placement process, and brings together health professionals, transplant recipients, and donor families to develop organ transplantation policy. UNOS:
- Matches donors to recipients and coordinates the organ-sharing process 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
- Maintains the databases that contain all clinical transplant data for every transplant event that occurs in the United States.
- Performs data analyses, fills data requests, produces the Annual and other data reports, and authors authoritative publications.
- Monitors every organ match to ensure adherence to UNOS policy, and works with the Board of Directors to develop equitable policies that maximize the limited supply of organs.
- Offers support to members of the transplant community. These services include seminar planning, providing educational programs and workshops, and much more.
- Provides assistance to patients, family members, and friends, and sets professional standards for efficiency and quality patient care.
- Raises public awareness about the importance of organ donation.
- Works to keep patients informed about transplant issues and policies.
- Offers comprehensive travel and event planning to assist organizations within the transplant community.
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| Author: | Jeannette Curtis | Last Updated: November 13, 2007 |
| Medical Review: | E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine D.C. Mendelssohn, MD, FRCPC - Nephrology | |
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