New York – September 15, 2026 -- The Partnership for Quality Measurement (PQM) has endorsed a National Kidney Foundation (NKF) quality measure that tracks annual kidney testing for adults with diabetes and/or high blood pressure, a move aimed at closing a diagnostic gap affecting an estimated 37 million U.S. adults with chronic kidney disease (CKD).
Measure tracks two annual tests for at-risk adults aged 18 to 85
The endorsed measure, Rate of Annual Kidney Health Evaluation Among Adults with Diabetes and/or Hypertension, monitors whether patients receive both an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) blood test and a urine albumin-creatinine ratio (uACR) test within a measurement year. The combination helps clinicians identify CKD and assess risk of disease progression and cardiovascular complications.
About 9 in 10 people with CKD remain undiagnosed, NKF says
Diabetes and high blood pressure are the two leading risk factors for CKD, yet testing rates remain low and inconsistent across providers. "Too many people with kidney disease do not know they have it until the disease has progressed," said Joseph Vassalotti, MD, Chief Medical Officer at NKF, adding that the endorsement is a step toward making complete kidney evaluation routine for at-risk patients.
Measure expands 2020 diabetes-only version to include hypertension patients
NKF introduced the original Kidney Health Evaluation for People with Diabetes measure in 2020. Elizabeth Montgomery, National VP, Clinical Innovation and Population Health at NKF, said extending it to hypertension patients creates an opportunity to identify more CKD cases earlier, when treatment can protect both kidney and heart health.
Clinical guidelines from five major medical bodies back dual testing
The American Diabetes Association, American College of Cardiology, American Heart Association, Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO), and NKF all support kidney evaluation using both eGFR and uACR for people with diabetes and/or high blood pressure. The electronic clinical quality measure draws on certified electronic health record data, allowing clinicians and healthcare organizations to track compliance among eligible patients.
Medicare spent over $196 billion on CKD and kidney failure in 2023
That figure represented 36% of total Medicare fee-for-service spending, according to NKF. CKD is linked to higher risks of cardiovascular disease, hospitalization, and death, with rising healthcare costs tied to late-stage detection. Less than 20% of at-risk U.S. adults currently receive both guideline-recommended tests, despite roughly 1 in 3 adults falling into an at-risk category.