Medicare Nation

Welcome, Medicare Nation! March is National Kidney Disease Awareness Month, so I’ve invited Dr. Jeffrey Berns on Medicare Nation. Dr. Berns is the president of the National Kidney Foundation and a professor of medicine and pediatrics at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and the Associate Chief of the Renal Electrolyte and Hypertension Division. He is also the director of the Nephrology Fellowship Training Program and the Associate Dean for Graduate Medical Education. Dr. Berns is a busy and dedicated physician, and I’m grateful he is taking the time to inform us about kidney disease today! Give the listeners an idea of the prevalence of kidney disease in the US. One in three people are at risk for kidney disease, while one in nine already has some level of kidney disease. Chronic kidney disease is measured in stage 3, 4, and 5. Stage 5 is the level at which dialysis or a transplant is required. Throughout your lifetime, it’s important to avoid exposure to things that can dama