Increase Quality of Care Archives - Page 10 of 16

DPC Encourages Participation in National Kidney Month Awareness

Hannah Bracamonte2024-03-29T01:50:30+00:00March 10th, 2016|Categories: Article, Charitable Premium Assistance, Dialysis Funding, Get Involved, Take Action, Transplant Donor Protection, Uncategorized|

March is National Kidney Month, which provides you with the perfect opportunity to spread awareness by educating your community and your legislators about kidney disease and the importance of kidney health. You can find educational information on the website of our sister organization, the DPC Education Center to share with your family and community. Additionally, we can provide promotional materials for any awareness events you plan to hold in March. To request materials such as pens and squeezable kidneys, visit our materials request page or call us at 1-866-877-4242. On the legislative front, you can ask your member of Congress to [...]

2015 Year in Review

Hannah Bracamonte2024-03-29T01:50:30+00:00January 19th, 2016|Categories: 5-Star Ratings, Access to Transplant, Article, Care Coordination, Charitable Premium Assistance, Dialysis Funding, Innovation, Medicare Advantage|Tags: Annual Accomplishments|

Happy New Year! In 2015, DPC leadership and its strong patient advocacy efforts at the state level fought to: prevent dramatic cuts to dialysis funding in Alabama and Illinois and preserve charity payments for dialysis patient premiums. Other highlights include: The opportunity for DPC CEO Hrant Jamgochian and board member Bob Lee to testify in front of the Oregon insurance commissioner on the discriminatory language found in two private insurance plans that would limit coverage for ESRD patients. The commissioner ruled against the language. DPC board member Danny Iniguez discussed health disparities in kidney disease at the National Black Caucus [...]

DPC Submits Feedback to CMS on Proposed Additions to Dialysis Facility Compare Tool
Gallery

DPC Submits Feedback to CMS on Proposed Additions to Dialysis Facility Compare Tool

Hannah Bracamonte2024-03-29T01:50:31+00:00December 11th, 2015|Categories: 5-Star Ratings, Article, Comment Letter|

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently announced plans to add more measures to their Dialysis Facility Compare (DFC). The DFC is an online tool that allows users to search and compare dialysis facilities within a certain area based on ratings and certain measures. The added measures would examine fluid management, the rate of blood stream infections in in-center hemodialysis patients and pediatric peritoneal dialysis adequacy. Data collected through the Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers & Systems In-Center Hemodialysis (CAHPS ICH) surveys would also be added to the DFC. DPC submitted comments to CMS supporting the addition of these measures [...]

CMS Updates Policies and Payment Rates for End-Stage Renal Disease Facilities for 2016

Hannah Bracamonte2024-03-29T01:50:31+00:00November 9th, 2015|Categories: Article, Quality Incentive Program|

On October 30, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a final rule to update payment policies and rates under the End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Prospective Payment System (PPS) for renal dialysis services furnished after January 1, 2016. The agency said the “ESRD final rule is one of several rules for calendar year 2016 that reflect a broader Administration-wide strategy to provide quality care at lower cost by improving ways to deliver care, pay providers, and use information.” This final rule also includes changes to the ESRD Quality Incentive Program (QIP) for payment years 2017-2019. Under the ESRD [...]

Representative Pitts visits Reading Dialysis Center

Hannah Bracamonte2024-03-29T01:50:32+00:00September 16th, 2015|Categories: Article, Care Coordination, Dialysis Funding, Medicare Advantage, Promote Financial Security|

During the August recess, Congressman Joe Pitts took the opportunity to engage with dialysis patients in his home district. He recently visited the Reading Dialysis Center in Reading, PA where he received a tour of the facility and met with dialysis nurses and staff. As Chairman of the Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee, he is an influential decision maker when it comes to kidney care issues. He spoke to the dialysis staff on a variety of health proposals currently in Congress including the 21st century Cures initiative. We hope Representative Pitts will continue his support of kidney care issues by co-sponsoring [...]

DPC Comments on 2016 Prospective Payment System and QIP

Hannah Bracamonte2024-03-29T01:50:32+00:00September 16th, 2015|Categories: Comment Letter, Quality Incentive Program|

DPC recently sent a comment letter responding to the proposed payment rule for CMS’s Medicare End Stage Renal Disease program. Using responses from our 2015 Patient Survey, our suggestions focus on how CMS can improve on the key issues of payment and quality for patients. On the payment side, we urge CMS to revise its patient-level payment system by focusing on individuals’ experiences, instead of drawing conclusions based off of large amounts of data. Better support of rural facilities and home dialysis is also important, providing more access and opportunity for treatment. On the quality front, we suggest changes be [...]

Report Finds Star Rating System Does Not Follow Federal Guidelines

Hannah Bracamonte2024-03-29T01:50:32+00:00August 14th, 2015|Categories: 5-Star Ratings, Article, Uncategorized|

The Medicare five-star rating system, maintained by the Center for Medicaid and Medicare Services’ (CMS), has recently come under scrutiny by the Center for Regulatory Effectiveness (CRE). In a letter from last month, CRE officials report that multiple entities have contacted them about the system possibly violating federal regulations. According to the letter, data from the rating system helps in determining rebates, eligibility and bonuses for patients. Current law requires this information be posted on a federal register to receive comments from stakeholders. CRE officials found CMS has instead been posting the information on their website and providing only summaries of comments. [...]

Biosimilar Medication Topic of House Letter to CMS

Hannah Bracamonte2024-03-29T01:50:32+00:00August 14th, 2015|Categories: Improve Access to Care, Increase Quality of Care, Promote Financial Security|

When the FDA approves a generic drug, it’s based on the chemicals contained in the original brand medication. Congress recently enacted a similar process for the approval of “biosimilars” based on the original biologic medication. The main difference is that the “biosimilar” is approved based on its development process. Biosimilars have the potential to be a cheaper alternative for expensive biologic medications such as Epogen, a drug used for anemia management. A letter sent from the House of Representatives to the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS) calls attention to a biosimilar reimbursement proposal in CMS’s 2016 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule proposed [...]

Chronic Kidney Disease Improvement in Research and Treatment Act Gaining Momentum

Hannah Bracamonte2024-03-29T01:50:33+00:00May 14th, 2015|Categories: Care Coordination, Dialysis Funding, Medicare Advantage, Promote Financial Security|

While only a few weeks after its introduction, the Chronic Kidney Disease Improvement in Research and Treatment Act (H.R. 1130/S. 598) is gaining new cosponsors in Congress. That said, we still have a lot of work to do to ensure this legislation is signed into law. If you want to see better care for dialysis patients, please take a few minutes to contact your Members of Congress and urge them to support this important legislation by clicking here. Representatives Tom Marino (R-PA), John Lewis (D-GA) and Peter Roskam (R-IL) introduced H.R. 1130 as the bill’s original sponsors. They are now joined [...]

Dialysis Patient Citizens’ Statement of Principles to Guide Formulation of Star Ratings

Hannah Bracamonte2024-03-29T01:50:33+00:00April 21st, 2015|Categories: 5-Star Ratings, Article|

Dialysis Patient Citizens (DPC) endorses the following six principles to guide formulation of star ratings for Dialysis Facility Compare: Star ratings must use metrics that represent aspects of care that are important to patients. Star ratings should not simply rely upon any information that happens to be available; patient priorities should be ascertained and reflected in the ratings. Star ratings must drive improvement. Facilities should be held to absolute standards. They must be able to improve their scores through improved quality regardless of how competing facilities perform. Competition among facilities should be realistic, e.g., facilities in regions with generally poor health [...]

Dialysis Patient Citizens

Recent News