We used data reported to Medicare from 1983 through 1986 to determine the incidence of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) among Native Americans and Whites in the United States. The 1,075 Native American cases represented an annual incidence, age-adjusted to the White population, of 269 per million, 2.8 times the rate for Whites. Fifty-six percent of Native American cases and 27 percent of the White cases were attributed to diabetes, indicating that ESRD is a major problem. Diabetes control provides the greatest opportunity for prevention.