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About Hannah Bracamonte

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So far Hannah Bracamonte has created 629 blog entries.

DPC Comments on CMS Proposed ESRD Annual Payment Rule to Increase Dialysis Patient Quality Care

2024-03-29T01:12:03+00:00September 1st, 2020|Categories: Access to Transplant, Care Coordination, Comment Letter, Innovation, Medicaid, Medicare Advantage, Quality Incentive Program, Treatment Options|

Each year—typically during the summer—the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) puts out rules for how they are going to pay for dialysis treatment. The rules reflect CMS’ latest policies, and organizations have the opportunity to provide feedback about the rules before they go into effect on January 1. DPC provided feedback to CMS regarding their End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Annual Payment rule. DPC’s letter addresses the following important topics for improving ESRD patient care: Protect Access for Costlier Patients by Completing Reconsideration of Case-Mix Adjusters Protect Access for Patients in Disadvantaged Regions by Addressing Social Risk Factors Focus [...]

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Mark Your Calendar for our September Patient Ambassador Call

2024-03-29T01:12:03+00:00August 25th, 2020|Categories: Article, Patient Ambassadors, Take Action|

Please join us early next month for our next Patient Ambassador call: Engaging with Elected Officials on Social Media During a Pandemic. Learn tips about what you can do to elevate your voice online. Please RSVP to let us know you can attend the call. Call Details are below: Date: Thursday, September 3, 2020 Time: 2:00 PM ET, 1:00 PM CT, 12:00 PM MT, 11:00 AM PT Follow these instructions at the time of the call: Call: 1-877-399-5186 Enter Meeting Code: 269 743 2061 Join Online (optional): https://dialysispatients.adobeconnect.com/advocacy/ Thank you for helping to improve the quality of life for dialysis patients [...]

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Scientists Report Favorable Findings for Peritoneal Dialysis Patients

2024-03-29T01:12:03+00:00August 19th, 2020|Categories: Article, Treatment Options|

Researchers found a 48 percent decrease in mortality and a 13 percent decrease in transition to in-center hemodialysis among peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients over time. The positive findings were most prevalent for patients in urban and larger PD program (25+ patients) settings. With COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations increasing among people with End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD), these findings may be reassuring for people interested in trying an alternative home dialysis treatment amid the global pandemic. Whether or not peritoneal dialysis is an appealing or viable treatment option, patients should choose the modality that works best for them. Read more about the [...]

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The Coronavirus Outbreak Puts Dialysis Patients At Risk

2024-03-29T01:12:03+00:00August 14th, 2020|Categories: Care Coordination, Patient's Voice, Spotlight|Tags: |

Jeff Needham turned his lifestyle around with diet and exercise after he was diagnosed with kidney disease. A true inspiration, Needham competed in two Olympic distance triathlon relays, as well as a three-day, 230-mile cycling ride, in support of a better health care system. In addition, Needham warns about the increased dangers of COVID-19 for dialysis patients and highlights the benefits of participating in a coordinated care pilot program.

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DPC’s 2020 Annual Membership Survey is Live!

2024-03-29T01:12:03+00:00August 6th, 2020|Categories: 5-Star Ratings, Access to Transplant, Article, Care Coordination, Charitable Premium Assistance, Dental Coverage, Dialysis Funding, Get Involved, Immunosuppressive Drug Coverage, Innovation, Medicaid, Medicare Advantage, Medigap Coverage, Quality Incentive Program, Take Action, Transplant Donor Protection, Transportation Services, Treatment Options|Tags: |

Elevate the Voice of Patients with Kidney Disease and Their Caregivers Our 2020 Annual Membership Survey is live, and it will remain open until Friday, August 21. We are counting on your participation, as patient feedback helps to shape our public policy agenda and patient education priorities for the next year. This year we ask that both patients and caregivers take our survey. Rest assured your responses will remain completely anonymous. We only share the overall survey results with state and federal level policy makers, so they will better understand your needs, experiences, and preferences. Your feedback is crucial. Therefore, we will [...]

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Action Alert – Help us Increase Patient Access to Immunosuppressive Medications

2024-03-29T01:12:03+00:00July 28th, 2020|Categories: Article, Immunosuppressive Drug Coverage, Medicare Advantage, News, Take Action|

The Comprehensive Immunosuppressive Drug Coverage for Kidney Transplant Patients Act (H.R. 5534, S. 3353) is gaining momentum in Congress, and we need your help continuing to get the word out. This bill was introduced by Representatives Ron Kind (D-WI) and Michael Burgess (R-TX), as well as Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA). This legislation would extend Medicare coverage of immunosuppressive drugs beyond the current limit of 36 months for patients who are unable to obtain health insurance coverage elsewhere. Immunosuppressive medications play a critical role in preventing transplant recipients from rejecting a donor kidney. Right now, after dialysis patients receive a transplant, [...]

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ESRD Community Honors the Legacy of Congressman John Lewis

2024-03-29T01:12:04+00:00July 27th, 2020|Categories: Medigap Coverage, News|

Our nation recently lost one of its most iconic and stalwart champions for justice in Congressman John Lewis. He dedicated his life to fighting for civil rights and social justice for all Americans, and his legacy will forever be remembered. Congressman Lewis was also one of the kidney community’s most consistent, trustworthy, and respected allies, and we join the nation in mourning his passing. Throughout his more than three decades in the U.S. House of Representatives, Congressman Lewis was a champion for patients with End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) and worked with them to increase access to treatment.  Specifically, he repeatedly introduced the Chronic Kidney Disease [...]

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Care Coordination Fixes One of the Biggest Flaws in the American Health Care System

2024-03-29T01:12:04+00:00July 20th, 2020|Categories: Care Coordination, Patient's Voice, Spotlight|

Gloria Rohrer lost a leg after needing multiple surgeries when her kidney transplant failed. Rohrer later lost her eyesight in one eye while vacationing in Florida, which could have been avoided with proper care coordination. She could have shut down and become angry with the world, instead Rohrer became a stalwart advocate for patient access to care coordination services, so that others can avoid similar complications.

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Dialysis Patient Citizens Files Lawsuit Against HHS Secretary Alex Azar and CMS Administrator Seema Verma Over New Regulation That Undercuts Dialysis Patient Access to Affordable, High-Quality Care

2024-03-29T01:12:04+00:00June 22nd, 2020|Categories: Care Coordination, Legal Defense, Medicare Advantage, News, Press Release|

WASHINGTON, D.C., (June 22, 2020) -- Today, Dialysis Patient Citizens (DPC) filed suit in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia against Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Seema Verma, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in opposition to a discriminatory new federal regulation that will limit the ability of hundreds of thousands of End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) patients to access affordable, high quality treatment. “ESRD patients successfully fought to get Congress to pass bipartisan legislation that would ensure [...]

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Medicare Removes Important Protection for Dialysis Patients in Managed Care Plans

2024-03-29T01:12:04+00:00May 26th, 2020|Categories: Article, Medicare Advantage, Treatment Options|

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) last week issued a regulation for Medicare Advantage (MA) plans that eliminates time and distance limits from network adequacy requirements for dialysis facilities. Network adequacy requirements for health plans ensure that patients can have access to all necessary providers with reasonable promptness. Time and distance limits prescribe a maximum driving time or distance in miles that a consumer must travel to get to a doctor or facility. The limits are higher in rural areas. CMS replaced the time and distance limits with another standard, a network “consistent with the prevailing community pattern [...]

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