fbpx
FacebookXYouTubeInstagramLinkedIn

California Governor Vetoes Bill After Dialysis Patients Raise Concerns

2024-03-29T01:13:37+00:00October 1st, 2018|Categories: Article, Improve Access to Care, State Advocacy|

Thanks to the help of many dialysis patients and advocates, California Governor Jerry Brown vetoed Senate Bill 1156. Senate Bill 1156 is one of the many policy issues impacting dialysis patients that DPC worked on this year. In 2018 alone, DPC and its advocates sent over 55,000 emails to lawmakers expressing concerns about the bill. In addition, with the help of local patients, DPC met with over 40 lawmakers in California to speak about the negative impact this bill would have on individuals receiving dialysis treatment. DPC expresses its sincerest gratitude to the thousands of patients and advocates that worked [...]

Read More

DPC Comments on Threat to Vascular Access Centers

2024-03-29T01:13:38+00:00September 19th, 2018|Categories: Article, Comment Letter, Dialysis Funding, Improve Access to Care|

The Centers for Medicaid Services (CMS) is proposing to cut reimbursement for vascular access centers. This could negatively impact dialysis patents’ access to care, which is why we have weighed in on this important issue. Dialysis Access and Fistulas People with kidney failure need to have a dialysis access placed in order to receive live-saving dialysis treatments. Vascular surgeons create and maintain arteriovenous fistulas, which is a type of dialysis access. Fistulas are important for individuals on dialysis as they are considered a best practice in kidney care, improve patient outcomes and reduce the risk of infection. Read DPC’s comment letter [...]

Read More

DPC Supports Improved Access to Private Insurance for Patients

2024-03-29T01:13:38+00:00August 22nd, 2018|Categories: Access to Transplant, Article, Comment Letter, Dental Coverage, Private Insurance Coverage|Tags: |

Currently, dialysis patients are restricted to 30 months on private insurance coverage before having to go into Medicare. The House of Representatives recently proposed extending this length of time by three months, which is estimated to save Medicare $344 million. Access to private insurance is critical for dialysis patients, and we are very appreciative of the House’s efforts to improve that access. Read our letter below in support of this proposal: Dear Leader McConnell, Minority Leader Schumer, Chairman Hatch, and Ranking Member Wyden: As America’s largest patient-led kidney disease organization representing over 30,000 dialysis patients and family members, Dialysis Patient [...]

Read More

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 [...]

Read More

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 [...]

Read More

Spending Bill Ensures Dialysis Patients Can Access Life-Saving Care

2024-03-29T01:13:39+00:00February 9th, 2018|Categories: Improve Access to Care, Increase Quality of Care, Press Release, Promote Financial Security|

WASHINGTON, Feb. 9, 2018 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Advocates for dialysis patients are pleased that the federal spending bill which funds the government through March 23rd includes several provisions that will help people with kidney failure, or end-stage renal disease (ESRD), gain access to life-extending dialysis treatments. The bill includes language from the Medicare Part B Improvement Act of 2017 (H.R. 3178), which was introduced July 7 of last year by Reps. Kevin Brady (R-Texas) and Richard Neal (D-Mass.), the Chairman and Ranking Member of the House Ways & Means Committee. The language permits health care providers to utilize data from home dialysis [...]

Read More

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 [...]

Read More

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 [...]

Read More

DPC Submits Comments on Market Stabilization

2024-03-29T01:13:40+00:00March 9th, 2017|Categories: Comment Letter, Transportation Services|

A recent proposed rule released by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) provided guidance for market stabilization of the Affordable Care Act.  Within this proposed rule, network adequacy provisions for dialysis clinics provided a narrow scope for insurers. In comments submitted by DPC on March 6, we argued stronger time and distance criteria need to be added to these provisions. Research shows there is little difference between living in a metropolitan area compared to living in a rural environment, but there are significant mortality risks associated with actual distance from a dialysis facility. Additionally, after only 15 minutes of [...]

Read More
Toggle Sliding Bar Area
Go to Top