Kidney Transplant Collaborative Criticizes CMS Delay of IOTA Payment Model

In a press release, the Kidney Transplant Collaborative (KTC) shared its disappointment that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will not implement the Increasing Organ Transplant Access (IOTA) payment model at the start of 2025.

IOTA was set to take effect on January 1, 2025, but CMS indicated that the target would not be met as it continues to work on the final rule. The mandatory, six-month model is expected to increase transplant access for patients with kidney disease, while also lowering Medicare expenditures. Key goals of IOTA are to:

• Maximize the use of deceased donor kidneys
• Improve the quality of care throughout the transplant process
• Address social gaps to enhance equity

KTC is a national nonprofit advocacy organization dedicated to identifying policy solutions to increase kidney transplants and decrease obstacles and financial barriers to kidney transplantation. In the press release, it urged CMS to take immediate action to prioritize the IOTA model, which represents a critical step in making the transplant process more accessible.