Improve Access to Care Archives - Page 14 of 17

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 [...]

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 [...]

DPC Submits Ideas for Improving ESRD Care to Special Senate Task Force

Hannah Bracamonte2024-03-29T01:50:32+00:00July 16th, 2015|Categories: Article, Care Coordination, Medicare Advantage|

Earlier this spring, the U.S. Senate Finance Committee invited stakeholders to submit ideas to improve care for Medicare beneficiaries with chronic diseases. DPC submitted its comments on June 22 with a focus on how end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients could benefit from increased care coordination among providers. The Senate Finance Committee oversees the Medicare program and both the current Chairman Orrin Hatch (R-UT) and top Democrat Ron Wyden (D-OR) have prioritized improving patient outcomes while lowering costs. They appointed a bipartisan task force to move forward with the best ideas for achieving these goals. DPC's comments stressed that a main barrier [...]

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 [...]

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Crack Down on New Jersey Ambulance Companies that Fraudulently Bill Medicare

Hannah Bracamonte2024-03-29T01:50:33+00:00May 14th, 2015|Categories: Article, State Advocacy, Transportation Services|

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is continuing a four-month crackdown on Medicare fraud in New Jersey. CMS has accused ambulance companies of fraudulently billing Medicare for transporting patients to non-emergency dialysis, chemotherapy and wound care. CMS found that these ambulance trips in New Jersey were twice the national average (from 2002 to 2011), and that the number of trips per patient was up approximately 60%. At least 11 ambulance companies report closing in recent months. The ambulance companies in New Jersey are now required to obtain pre-authorization from Medicare to transport a given patient, and many of [...]

Urge Your Members of Congress to Take Action During National Minority Health Month

Hannah Bracamonte2024-03-29T01:50:33+00:00April 7th, 2015|Categories: Care Coordination, Dialysis Funding, Medicare Advantage|

April is National Minority Health Month, an issue of vital importance for dialysis patients since even greater health disparities are reflected in the dialysis patient community. For example, African Americans are 3.5 times more likely to develop kidney failure than non-Hispanic white Americans, Hispanic Americans are 1.5 times more likely and Native Americans are 1.7 times more likely. Asian Americans are also more likely to develop kidney failure. Click here to urge your Members of Congress to co-sponsor the Chronic Kidney Disease Improvement in Research and Treatment Act (S. 598 and H.R. 1130), which includes a key provision supporting research on kidney health [...]

Urge Your Members of Congress to Co-Sponsor the Chronic Kidney Disease Improvement in Research and Treatment Act!

Hannah Bracamonte2024-03-29T01:50:33+00:00March 11th, 2015|Categories: Care Coordination, Dialysis Funding, Medicare Advantage|

Senators Ben Cardin (D-MD), Mike Crapo (R-ID) and Bill Nelson (D-FL) were joined by Representatives Tom Marino (R-PA), John Lewis (D-GA) and Peter Roskam (R-IL) in introducing the Chronic Kidney Disease Improvement in Research and Treatment Act (S. 598/H.R. 1130) to improve the health of kidney patients. If passed, this bill would provide access to Medicare Advantage (MA) plans for dialysis patients. This bill would also enhance current research efforts related to chronic kidney disease (CKD) by: Requiring the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to calculate the overall cost of CKD care, ensure that federal funding for CKD research is appropriate relative to [...]

Prior Authorization of Non-Emergency Ambulance Transportation to Begin for Dialysis Patients in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and South Carolina

Hannah Bracamonte2024-03-29T01:50:34+00:00November 13th, 2014|Categories: State Advocacy, Transportation Services|

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will begin implementing a prior authorization demonstration program for non-emergent ambulance transport of dialysis patients in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and South Carolina. CMS believes using a prior authorization process will help ensure services are provided in compliance with Medicare coverage rules, specifically that ambulance providers in those states must obtain documentation from physicians prior to the beginning of service. The requirement does not apply to hospital-based ambulances. CMS is taking these actions in response to instances of fraud in those three states. For example, one Pennsylvania fraud scheme involved more than $3.6 [...]

Kidney Care Bill Introduced in U.S. House of Representatives
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Kidney Care Bill Introduced in U.S. House of Representatives

Hannah Bracamonte2024-03-29T02:08:05+00:00June 30th, 2014|Categories: Article, Care Coordination, Medicare Advantage, Treatment Options|

Congressmen John Lewis (D-GA) and Tom Marino (R-PA) have introduced the Chronic Kidney Disease Improvement in Research and Treatment Act in the U.S. House of Representatives. Lewis and Marino are leaders on the Congressional Kidney Caucus and have been staunch supporters of dialysis patients over the years. This bill seeks to advance several proactive kidney care policy initiatives and provides a vehicle for educating Members of Congress and the public about the issues facing kidney disease patients and the kidney community as a whole. The bill would: Improve understanding of kidney disease: The legislation seeks to identify the gaps in critical [...]

Medicare Announces Revised ESRD Seamless Care Organization (ESCO) Program
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Medicare Announces Revised ESRD Seamless Care Organization (ESCO) Program

Hannah Bracamonte2024-03-29T02:08:05+00:00May 5th, 2014|Categories: Article, Care Coordination|

The ESCO is based on the Accountable Care Organization model, under which providers band together to improve care and share in any savings that result from avoiding costly complications. In the case of the ESCO, the care coordination teams would consist of dialysis providers, nephrologists and any new personnel, such as nurse case managers or health coaches, brought on to assist patients. An earlier version of the ESCO, announced last year, failed to garner sufficient interest among providers. In response to input from providers and patient advocates including DPC, Medicare officials altered the terms of the program to make participation, which [...]

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