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Happy Holidays and DPC’s Top 10 Accomplishments of 2018

2024-03-29T01:13:36+00:00December 19th, 2018|Categories: Advance Patient Choice, Article, Care Coordination, Charitable Premium Assistance, Dialysis Funding, Get Involved, Medicare Advantage, Medigap Coverage, Take Action, Transplant Donor Protection|Tags: |

Dialysis Patient Citizens wants to wish you and your family a Happy Holiday, as well as a safe and healthy New Year. We also want to take this opportunity to share with you our Top 10 list of accomplishments for 2018, which would not have been possible without your support. Thank you for helping us elevate the dialysis patient voice with policy makers. We are extremely grateful for all of your efforts, and we look forward to our continued collaboration in 2019 as we work together to improve dialysis patient quality of life.

The Lame Duck Congress

2024-03-29T01:13:36+00:00December 5th, 2018|Categories: Article, Care Coordination|

The 115th Congress has three remaining weeks to conduct business before the new Congress is sworn in on January 3, 2019. With so many outgoing Members and with Democrats taking over control of the House, some speculated Congress would get a lot accomplished during this lame duck session. That, however, does not appear to be the case. Last week, following the passing of President George H.W. Bush, Congress quietly passed a spending bill, which will keep the government running through December 21, 2018. In order to avert a government shutdown, they will need to pass another spending measure before then—right now the biggest contingency [...]

Advocacy for More Care Coordination

2024-03-29T01:13:37+00:00October 24th, 2018|Categories: Care Coordination, Quality Incentive Program|

DPC continues its advocacy in support of the Dialysis PATIENTS Demonstration Act (H.R. 4143/S. 2065), recently reaching out to members of both the House of Representatives and Senate. In our letters to Congress, we highlighted a number of important healthcare improvements for dialysis patients that are tied to the PATIENTS Act, including better care coordination, additional patient support and improved quality standards among clinics. DPC is joined by a number of organizations that agree on the potential benefits to patients in The Dialysis PATIENTS Act and have pledged their support. Click here to read DPC’s letter to the House of Representatives. [...]

Media Coverage Increases on Kidney Health

2024-03-29T01:13:39+00:00April 10th, 2018|Categories: Article, Care Coordination|

Kidney Month has passed yet the coverage on kidney health is continuing well into April. DPC is pleased to report the publication of several letters to the editor in response to our advocacy day in support of the Dialysis PATIENTS Act. Our advocates have been published in the states of Washington, Alabama, Kansas and New Hampshire with many more pending publication. This continued media coverage is a great step toward moving this legislation across the finish line to help countless dialysis patients across the country. Andrew Conkling – AL: http://www.thearabtribune.com/mountain_views/writer-urges-congress-to-support-legislation/article_788c24ca-377c-11e8-9817-970f8e059ab5.html Adrian Miller – WA: http://www.columbian.com/news/2018/apr/03/letter-focus-care-upon-patients/ Pius Murray – NH: http://www.fosters.com/news/20180405/to-editor-support-for-dialysis-patients-act Mike Guffey – KS: https://www.kansascity.com/opinion/letters-to-the-editor/article208195579.html [...]

DPC Hosts Successful Advocacy Day

2024-03-29T01:13:39+00:00April 10th, 2018|Categories: Article, Care Coordination|Tags: |

It was a cold and rainy Tuesday, when dialysis patients, family members and healthcare providers descended on Capitol Hill to meet with legislators about expanding coordinated care efforts. This was a record setting year for the advocacy day, beginning with the application process which saw over 150 applicants and ending with the number of meetings held, 142. This was the largest patient advocacy day DPC has hosted since September 2013 in response to the drastic proposed funding cuts for dialysis. The weekend was very busy, but our advocates were energetic and determined to have their voices heard by lawmakers. Their [...]

New Pieces of Legislation Passed Mark Up to Improve Dialysis Care

2024-03-29T01:13:40+00:00July 19th, 2017|Categories: Care Coordination, Increase Quality of Care, Medicare Advantage|

View from the gallery as the committee approves the legislation. Two pieces of legislation have been passed by unanimous consent by the Ways and Means Committee with provisions that improve dialysis care. The Medicare Part B Improvement Act of 2017 (H.R. 3178) and H.R. 3168—contain 3 provisions which will improve dialysis care. H.R. 3178 expands access to home dialysis by allowing the use of telemedicine for end-stage renal disease (ESRD) related visits as well as allows new dialysis facilities to received outside accreditation in order to provide treatment. The second piece of legislation includes a provision to allow [...]

DPC Advocacy Day 2017 Recap

2024-03-29T01:13:40+00:00July 13th, 2017|Categories: Article, Care Coordination, Charitable Premium Assistance, Medigap Coverage|Tags: |

Each year, Dialysis Patient Citizens is proud to bring dialysis patients to Washington, D.C. in order to meet with their legislators about the issues affecting patients nationwide. This year, we are pleased to have hosted 25 dialysis patients and their family members from across the country. Patients arrived to Washington, D.C. and were greeted by an informal networking dinner to meet new advocates and re-connect with veteran advocates. The following day, those needing dialysis received treatment in four different local facilities then returned for an afternoon of advocacy training. Our primary “asks” this year were centered around the Medigap provision [...]

Dialysis Patient Advocates Seek Restraining Order Against CMS

2024-03-29T01:13:41+00:00January 9th, 2017|Categories: Access to Transplant, Care Coordination, Charitable Premium Assistance, Medigap Coverage, Press Release, State Advocacy|

Lawsuit charges that CMS rule to take effect Jan. 13 gives insurers illegal veto power over access to private coverage Washington, D.C. – Advocates for dialysis patients filed suit in federal court today to prevent the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) from enforcing a rule that could force patients off their current health plans and jeopardize their access to care. The regulation, which the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued Dec. 13 outside the formal rulemaking process, gives insurers the power to prevent dialysis patients from receiving charitable premium assistance that makes it possible for [...]

Protecting Dialysis Patients’ Health Coverage

2024-03-29T01:13:41+00:00January 9th, 2017|Categories: Access to Transplant, Blog, Care Coordination, Charitable Premium Assistance, Legal Defense, Medigap Coverage|Tags: |

By Hrant Jamgochian, CEO Dialysis Patient Citizens Across the country, thousands of patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) face the agonizing choice of paying for necessities such as rent and food, or paying the insurance premiums that enable them to get dialysis and other critical care. Fortunately, ESRD patients have options. Thanks to federal law, they can enroll in Medicare at any age. Or, if they would rather keep a private insurance plan, they can apply for financial help from charities such as the American Kidney Fund. These payments are a lifeline that enables patients to maintain their existing coverage and [...]

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