Increase Quality of Care Archives - Page 10 of 17

DPC Complaint to Department of Labor re: Insurance Plan Discrimination
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DPC Complaint to Department of Labor re: Insurance Plan Discrimination

Hannah Bracamonte2024-03-29T01:50:29+00:00June 28th, 2016|Categories: Charitable Premium Assistance, Comment Letter, Innovation, Private Insurance Coverage|

The Honorable Phyllis C. Borzi Assistant Secretary Employee Benefits Security Administration United States Department of Labor 200 Constitution Ave NW Washington, DC 20210 Re: Violations of Part 7 of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act Relating to Health Plans’ Treatment of End-Stage Renal Disease Dear Assistant Secretary Borzi: On behalf of the 29,000 dialysis patients and family members that we serve, Dialysis Patient Citizens (DPC) asks that the Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) investigate activities some group health plans have undertaken that we believe discriminate against individuals with kidney failure in violation of Part 7 of the Employee Retirement Income Security [...]

Dialysis Patient Citizens Applauds Introduction of Dialysis PATIENT Demonstration Bills

Hannah Bracamonte2024-03-29T01:50:29+00:00June 27th, 2016|Categories: Advance Patient Choice, Article, Care Coordination, Dialysis Funding|

Bipartisan, bicameral legislation mandating a new Medicare demonstration of integrated care for ESRD patients will help spread best practices for treating this population, says beneficiary advocacy group Dialysis Patient Citizens (DPC). “As an in-center hemodialysis patient of 41 years, I am well aware of the multiple health issues that a large percentage of my fellow patients have to cope with on a daily basis. Coordinating their care among health providers would lead to better outcomes for patients and reward providers for optimal care with fewer dollars spent overall,” said Jack Reynolds, DPC’s president and a dialysis patient from Carlisle, Iowa. A [...]

Proposed Changes to Dialysis Facility Compare Tool May Make It More Useful
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Proposed Changes to Dialysis Facility Compare Tool May Make It More Useful

Hannah Bracamonte2024-03-29T01:50:29+00:00March 16th, 2016|Categories: 5-Star Ratings, Article, Comment Letter|

Dialysis Facility Compare (DFC) is an online tool that allows users to search and compare dialysis facilities based on star ratings and certain measures. DPC has previously submitted suggestions on how to improve the proposed measures. Recently, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced in a Planned Changes document that the star ratings included in the DFC would be reassigned based on a 2014 threshold, meaning that the distribution of ratings would look more like it does on CMS’ other websites, and apply standards that are more familiar and intuitive to consumers. DPC submitted another comment letter (published [...]

Study: End Stage Renal Disease Patients Face Policy Barriers to Home Dialysis

Hannah Bracamonte2024-03-29T01:50:30+00:00March 10th, 2016|Categories: Improve Access to Care, Increase Quality of Care, Innovation, Promote Financial Security, Treatment Options|

Current federal policies limit patient access to home dialysis, a treatment option that offers significant clinical and quality-of-life advantages, according to a report released today by Washington, DC-based economist Alex Brill of Matrix Global Advisors (MGA). As a result of policy barriers, Brill finds a key segment of the growing population of patients who have end-stage renal disease (ESRD) miss out on the important health and lifestyle benefits of home dialysis. Brill, formerly chief economist to the House Ways & Means Committee, also finds that innovation in the home dialysis market may not reach patients if barriers cannot be addressed. Fewer [...]

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
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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 [...]

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