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About Hannah Bracamonte

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So far Hannah Bracamonte has created 629 blog entries.

Letter: ‘Requesting legislative action’

2024-09-17T18:20:12+00:00September 13th, 2024|Categories: Patient Stories in the News, Private Insurance Coverage|

I urge U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) to support the Restore Protections for Dialysis Patients Act. This legislation allows new dialysis patients to keep their private insurance, a critical financial lifeline, for their initial months of care. Dialysis is the only treatment for those awaiting a kidney transplant. However, a recent Supreme Court decision enables private insurers to weaken coverage in the first months of care, essentially pushing patients onto Medicare prematurely. This shift places enormous burdens on patients who need stability during a challenging time when they are often focused on just trying to keep their jobs. I was [...]

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First class of Community Health Workers complete Chronic Kidney Disease training program

2024-09-26T14:10:05+00:00September 2nd, 2024|Categories: Advance Patient Choice, Article, Improve Access to Care, Increase Quality of Care, Promote Financial Security|

DPC is pleased to announce that the first graduating class of community health workers (CHW) from Illinois have completed the Chronic Kidney Disease CHW training curriculum. DPC has led this effort in Illinois over the last two years, developing the first-in-the-nation kidney disease training curriculum for CHWs. The training will help CHWs educate their communities about kidney disease and help people at risk for kidney failure learn how to take care of their health, slow disease progression and reduce the number of people who start dialysis in the hospital emergency room as they are not aware that their kidneys are [...]

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DPC Comments to CMS Sound Alarm on Workforce Shortages

2024-08-22T14:11:27+00:00August 20th, 2024|Categories: Article, Comment Letter, Innovation, Medicare Advantage, Promote Financial Security, Protect Patient Care|

In our comments responding to Medicare’s annual ESRD Payment Rule, DPC took the government to task over payment updates that lag increases in labor costs and failure to effectively cover new drugs for dialysis patients. The proposed rule grants a net increase in the base rate of only 0.8% during a year in which wages, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics, rose 4.2%. The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission estimates a margin of zero for dialysis facilities in 2024, with many rural and low-volume facilities in the red. This occurs at a time in which a Supreme Court decision has emboldened [...]

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DPC’s Letter to Hon. Chiquita Brooks-LaSure, Administrator for CMS, on CMS-1805-P

2024-08-19T16:23:37+00:00August 19th, 2024|Categories: Comment Letter, Improve Access to Care, Increase Quality of Care, Policy Issues, Promote Financial Security, Protect Patient Care|

August 19, 2024 Hon. Chiquita Brooks-LaSure, Administrator Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services 7500 Security Boulevard Baltimore, MD  21244 Re: CMS-1805-P:  End-Stage Renal Disease Prospective Payment System, Payment for Renal Dialysis Services Furnished to Individuals with Acute Kidney Injury, Conditions for Coverage for End-Stage Renal Disease Facilities, End-Stage Renal Disease Quality Incentive Program, and End-Stage Renal Disease Treatment Choices Model Dear Administrator Brooks-LaSure: Dialysis Patient Citizens (DPC) writes to offer its comments on the above referenced proposed rule. DPC's membership, currently about 35,000, is restricted to kidney disease patients and their family members. DPC is a patient-led organization.  Our by-laws require [...]

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Indiana Governor Signs Affordable Medigap Access Legislation

2024-08-22T14:12:38+00:00August 16th, 2024|Categories: Article, Medigap Coverage, Protect Patient Care, State Advocacy|

In a major victory for under-age 65 dialysis patients in Indiana, Governor Eric Holcomb signed SB 215 in a formal bill signing ceremony on August 15, 2024. Attending this ceremonial bill signing was DPC Patient Ambassador Arthur Hill and DPC Eastern Region Advocacy Director Elizabeth Lively. Arthur’s impactful story of his dialysis journey elevated the voices of dialysis patients in Indiana, bringing the struggles of dealing with kidney failure to the forefront and influencing the hearts and minds of legislators to support SB 215. SB 215 becomes effective on December 31, 2024. This legislation provides access for under-age 65 dialysis [...]

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DPC Advocates for Dialysis Patients at National Conference of State Legislators Summit

2024-08-22T14:12:44+00:00August 8th, 2024|Categories: Article, Medigap Coverage, Protect Patient Care, State Advocacy|

State legislators from across the nation convened in Louisville, Kentucky August 5-8 for the 50th National Conference of State Legislators Summit. As part of DPCs ongoing work in the states, DPC was on hand to share our critically important work on access to affordable Medigap coverage. Megan Hashbarger, VP of Government Relations, Yolonda Brisbane, Grassroots Manager, and Elizabeth Lively, Eastern Region Advocacy Director attended the event. We heard so many stories from interested state legislators who either a family member or friend dealing with kidney disease issues. Legislators from Arkansas, California, Georgia, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma and [...]

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Americans should never be punished for having a debilitating illness

2024-07-30T19:21:34+00:00July 27th, 2024|Categories: Patient Stories in the News, Private Insurance Coverage|

Americans should never be punished for having a debilitating illness. Unfortunately, that’s what happens to people like me with illnesses such as End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD), otherwise known as kidney failure. ESRD changed my life. Paying for ESRD treatment, whether it was dialysis (the treatment which works in place of kidneys) or transplant, both of which I experienced, proved to be extremely difficult. I had to rely on Cobra, Medicare, and Medicaid, and I struggled to pay for life-saving treatment. For other ESRD patients, they face financial burdens because private insurers are allowed to kick them off their insurance. [...]

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State Advocacy Update – Council of State Governments Meetings

2024-07-25T17:45:31+00:00July 25th, 2024|Categories: Advance Patient Choice, Article, Improve Access to Care, Increase Quality of Care, Medigap Coverage, News, Policy Issues, Promote Financial Security, Protect Patient Care, State Advocacy|

DPC’s two State Advocacy Directors have been busy advocating for dialysis patients this summer. Pamela Zielske, DPC’s Western Region Advocacy Director, attended the 77th Council of State Governments Annual Meeting in Portland, Oregon earlier this month. The event provided an outstanding opportunity to cultivate relationships with state legislators and attend policy sessions and legislative learning labs, including one hosted by Fresenius Medical Care on Improving Equity and Health Outcomes in Kidney Health Care. With legislators in attendance from 13 western states, the CSG West Meeting was a tremendous opportunity to elevate our advocacy work on behalf of dialysis patients with [...]

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