Improve Access to Care Archives - Dialysis Patient Citizens

Giving Thanks
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Giving Thanks

Hannah Bracamonte2025-11-25T18:09:52+00:00November 25th, 2025|Categories: About DPC, Advance Patient Choice, Article, Dialysis Funding, Get Involved, Improve Access to Care, Increase Quality of Care, Innovation, News, Patient Ambassadors, Patient's Voice, Policy Issues, Press, Private Insurance Coverage, Promote Financial Security, Protect Patient Care, Treatment Options|

As we approach Thanksgiving this week, DPC would like to take a moment to thank all of our phenomenal Board Members, Patient Ambassadors, and kidney advocates for sharing their stories and fighting to improve the quality of life for dialysis and kidney transplant patients nationwide. DPC Board Members Hasan Artharee and Ken Stephens recently shared videos on their kidney journeys and two important pieces of legislation that are currently in Congress that would have a major impact on patient quality of life. As a fourth-generation PKD patient and the third in his family to undergo dialysis, Hasan knows firsthand the challenges [...]

Support S. 2730 – The Kidney Care Access Protection Act
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Support S. 2730 – The Kidney Care Access Protection Act

Hannah Bracamonte2025-09-23T17:46:01+00:00September 23rd, 2025|Categories: Advance Patient Choice, Article, Improve Access to Care, Increase Quality of Care, News, Promote Financial Security, Take Action|

In early September, Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) introduced The Kidney Care Access Protection Act (S. 2730) which would strengthen Medicare’s kidney care benefits by ensuring fair reimbursement for and access to quality care. This bipartisan legislation has been endorsed by Kidney Care Partners, the American Kidney Fund, Dialysis Patient Citizens, and the Renal Support Network (RSN). Specifically, this bill would establish a long-term, sustainable Medicare payment pathway for innovative drugs, devices, and technologies. It would also implement a forecast error adjustment policy that accurately accounts for inflationary costs to help keep healthcare facilities financially viable. [...]

DPC Comment Letter to CMS Recounts Heartbreaking Story of Rural Dialysis Clinic Closure
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DPC Comment Letter to CMS Recounts Heartbreaking Story of Rural Dialysis Clinic Closure

Hannah Bracamonte2025-08-28T13:48:55+00:00August 28th, 2025|Categories: Comment Letter, Dialysis Funding, Improve Access to Care, Innovation, Policy Issues, Promote Financial Security, Protect Patient Care, Quality Incentive Program, Staffing Shortages, Treatment Options|

DPC has submitted its comments responding to this year’s Medicare ESRD Payment Rule. The Medicare agency is proposing a payment update of only 1.9%, which doesn’t keep pace with increasing costs. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, compensation costs for civilian workers increased 3.6 percent for the 12-month period ending in June, while inflation was 2.7%. The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission recently reported that dialysis clinics’ Medicare margin was –1.1 percent in 2022 and –0.2 percent in 2023. They project a 2025 FFS Medicare margin of 0 percent. The comment letter brought officials’ attention to the story of a [...]

DPC’s Letter to Dr. Mehmet Oz, Administrator at Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, on ESRD Prospective Payment System
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DPC’s Letter to Dr. Mehmet Oz, Administrator at Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, on ESRD Prospective Payment System

Hannah Bracamonte2025-09-11T17:44:31+00:00August 27th, 2025|Categories: Comment Letter, Dialysis Funding, Improve Access to Care, Innovation, Policy Issues, Promote Financial Security, Protect Patient Care, Quality Incentive Program, Staffing Shortages, Treatment Options|

August 27, 2025 The Honorable Mehmet Oz Administrator Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services 200 Independence Avenue, SW Washington, DC 20001 Re: CMS-1830-P - End-Stage Renal Disease Prospective Payment System Dear Dr. Oz: 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 that the President, Vice President and at least 51% of the Board be current dialysis patients. The non-dialysis patients serving on our Board are former dialysis patients with kidney [...]

DPC’s 2025 Advocacy Day
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DPC’s 2025 Advocacy Day

Hannah Bracamonte2025-07-23T14:55:01+00:00July 23rd, 2025|Categories: About DPC, Advance Patient Choice, Article, Improve Access to Care, Increase Quality of Care, Medigap Coverage, Patient Ambassadors, Private Insurance Coverage, Promote Financial Security, Protect Patient Care|

Last week, DPC hosted our annual Advocacy Day in Washington, D.C. where we bring together patients, family members, and care givers to meet with their Members of Congress to elevate the patient story for dialysis patients. This year we had 36 advocates attend, representing 24 states, who had over 80 Congressional meetings. Our patients spoke to their congressional leaders and encouraged their support for the Restore Act (H.R. 2199/S. 1173) and for the Kidney Care Access Protection Act (KCAPA), which is expected to be introduced soon. In doing so, they helped to elevate the voices of the ESRD community nationwide. Additionally, [...]

DPC’s Letter to Mr. Abe Sutton, Deputy Administrator at Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation, on CKCC Revisions
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DPC’s Letter to Mr. Abe Sutton, Deputy Administrator at Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation, on CKCC Revisions

Hannah Bracamonte2025-07-09T18:20:20+00:00July 9th, 2025|Categories: Comment Letter, Improve Access to Care, Policy Issues, Promote Financial Security, Protect Patient Care|

July 9, 2025 Mr. Abe Sutton, Deputy Administrator Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation 7500 Security Boulevard Baltimore, MD 21244 Re: CKCC Revisions Dear Mr. Sutton: We are writing to protest the recent changes to the CKCC model that manifest a reduced CMMI commitment to integrated kidney care. As a former CMMI staffer, a consumer representative on the governing body of one the CKCC sites, and a longtime health policy analyst and patient advocate, I can see CMMI programs from a global perspective, and what I see is a relegation of our patient population to a second-tier focus despite it being [...]

DPC’s Letter to Thomas J. Engels, Administrator at Health Resources and Services Administration, on Out-of-Sequence Organ Allocations
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DPC’s Letter to Thomas J. Engels, Administrator at Health Resources and Services Administration, on Out-of-Sequence Organ Allocations

Hannah Bracamonte2025-05-21T20:16:46+00:00May 21st, 2025|Categories: Advance Patient Choice, Article, Improve Access to Care, Increase Quality of Care, Protect Patient Care|

May 21, 2025 Thomas J. Engels, Administrator Health Resources and Services Administration 5600 Fishers Lane Rockville, MD 20857 Re: Out-of-Sequence Organ Allocations Dear Administrator Engels: Dialysis Patient Citizens (DPC) writes to express our concerns about the growth in out-of-sequence organ transplants reported in a recent New York Times article. 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 that the President, Vice President and at least 51% of the Board be current dialysis patients. The non-dialysis patients serving on our Board are former dialysis patients with [...]

Building Momentum: DPC’s Growing Patient Ambassador Network
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Building Momentum: DPC’s Growing Patient Ambassador Network

Hannah Bracamonte2025-02-27T15:04:29+00:00February 10th, 2025|Categories: Advance Patient Choice, Article, Improve Access to Care, Increase Quality of Care, Medigap Coverage, Patient Ambassadors, Policy Issues, Private Insurance Coverage, Promote Financial Security, Protect Patient Care, State Advocacy|

By Yolonda Brisbane, DPC Grassroots Manager Since I began my role as Grassroots Manager for Dialysis Patient Citizens (DPC) in April 2022, I’ve had the privilege of witnessing the growth of something truly special—the Patient Ambassador Program. This network of DPC members from across the country is dedicated to amplifying their voices and making a real difference. Turning personal health challenges and difficult experiences into action, they advocate for better care for the kidney patient community. In addition to their ongoing advocacy efforts, DPC Patient Ambassadors take part in Advocacy Day in Washington, DC, meeting with lawmakers to push for positive [...]

California Resources
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California Resources

Hannah Bracamonte2025-01-23T17:55:22+00:00January 9th, 2025|Categories: Advance Patient Choice, Article, Improve Access to Care, Increase Quality of Care, Policy Issues, Promote Financial Security, State Advocacy|

As the wildfires continue to profoundly affect communities in the Los Angeles area, Dialysis Patient Citizens extends its heartfelt support to all who are impacted by this devastating crisis. Thousands of structures have been affected, over 200,000 residents have been displaced, and to date, at least 27 people have lost their lives. Government officials, including Governor Newsom, have issued emergency declarations as the fires intensified, allowing for rapid deployment of resources to protect lives, property, and critical infrastructure. While some of you may not live in the immediate area of the wildfires, we understand that many of you may work, travel, [...]

Private Insurance for Dialysis Care Introduced in the Senate
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Private Insurance for Dialysis Care Introduced in the Senate

Hannah Bracamonte2024-09-26T14:10:02+00:00September 25th, 2024|Categories: Advance Patient Choice, Article, Improve Access to Care, Private Insurance Coverage, Promote Financial Security, Protect Patient Care|

Senators Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Martin Heinrich (D-NM) recently introduced The Restore Protections for Dialysis Patients Act (S. 5018), which is the Senate companion to H.R. 6860 introduced earlier this year. If you are a dialysis patient, you may be eligible for Medicare, but you also have the right to keep your private employer-sponsored health insurance for up to 30 months after being diagnosed with kidney failure. However, a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision could limit your access to private coverage by allowing health plans to cut dialysis benefits from their networks and impose stricter rules. Along [...]

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