The growing toll of kidney disease

Almost a quarter of traditional Medicare spending, or $114 billion, goes toward patients who have kidney disease. A large chunk of that, $35 billion, is spent on patients whose kidneys have failed and require dialysis or a transplant, according to the latest federal data.

Why it matters: Kidney disease diagnoses are growing, especially among older adults. Because treating it requires a lot of discomfort and money, the Trump administration is pushing for policies that will encourage more people to get dialysis treatment at home instead of in clinics, Politico reports.