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Dialysis Patients Protest Proposed Cuts at Illinois State Capitol
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Dialysis Patients Protest Proposed Cuts at Illinois State Capitol

Hannah Bracamonte2024-03-29T01:50:33+00:00May 26th, 2015|Categories: Article, Medicaid, State Advocacy|

Kathleen Haines being interviewed by a Springfield reporter. Dialysis patients and clinicians held a press conference at the Illinois State Capitol in Springfield on May 26 to oppose cuts to Medicaid ESRD payments proposed by Governor Bruce Rauner. Two dialysis patients from central Illinois, Alan Cook and Kathleen Haines, represented Dialysis Patient Citizens at the event, which received coverage on Chicago and Springfield TV news broadcasts. More than 5,000 people, or approximately 30% of Illinois dialysis patients, use Medicaid as their primary or secondary insurance. But all ESRD patients benefit from Medicaid dollars since they shore up the [...]

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 [...]

Consumer Reports Survey Sheds Light on Unexpected Medical Bills

Hannah Bracamonte2024-03-29T01:50:33+00:00May 14th, 2015|Categories: Article, Promote Financial Security|

If you recently received an unexpected medical bill, you are not alone. The Consumer Reports National Research Center recently conducted a survey which found that nearly one-third of Americans with private health insurance received a surprise medical bill in the last two years. In most cases, patients went to a hospital within their insurance plan’s network, but were treated by a physician who had not contracted with the insurer. Many privately insured Americans regularly face the issue of reimbursement, or lack thereof, for treatment by doctors outside their insurance plan’s network. Only 28% of privately insured Americans surveyed by Consumer [...]

An Overview of Medigap Coverage

Hannah Bracamonte2024-03-29T01:50:33+00:00May 7th, 2015|Categories: Article, Medigap Coverage|

Current Situation Currently, two populations qualify for Medicare: those over the age of 65, and those under the age of 65 who meet certain federal conditions. A diagnosis of End Stage Renal Disease (“ESRD”) satisfies these conditions and makes ESRD patients under age 65 eligible for Medicare. Medicare requires the patient pay deductibles and co-pays. If patients cannot afford these costs, they may become state Medicaid eligible by virtue of income level or after spending down their assets. The Problem Many ESRD Medicare beneficiaries can’t afford to pay Medicare deductibles and co-pays. As a result, many of them spend down their [...]

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 [...]

Permanent Medicare Physician Payment Increase Passes Congress

Hannah Bracamonte2024-03-29T01:50:33+00:00April 7th, 2015|Categories: Dialysis Funding, Medigap Coverage|

Congress recently passed the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act, also known as the permanent “doc fix” bill. The bill passed the House of Representatives 392-37 and the Senate 92-8, with strong bipartisan support. The White House has announced President Obama’s intent to sign the bill into law. Those who voted in favor of the bill felt it was necessary to permanently replace the current Medicare physician payment formula. In 1997, Congress passed a formula known as the sustainable growth rate (SGR) formula, which unexpectedly dictated regular pay cuts for doctors. In 2003, many in Congress began to fear that the [...]

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 [...]

DPC Fly-In Participants Lobby Members of Congress Despite Snow Storm, Government Closure
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DPC Fly-In Participants Lobby Members of Congress Despite Snow Storm, Government Closure

Hannah Bracamonte2024-03-29T01:50:33+00:00March 11th, 2015|Categories: Article, Medicare Advantage|Tags: Advocacy Day|

DPC’s annual Kidney Month fly-in was held last Wednesday and Thursday (March 4 & 5). Patient advocates from across the country flew to Washington, DC to speak with their Members of Congress on issues critical to their care. And despite numerous obstacles, they made sure their voices were heard. On March 4, patient advocates participated in an in-depth advocacy training, as many were going to Capitol Hill for the first time. This training helped to ensure that participants had the information and confidence to discuss the importance of preserving dialysis funding as well as why dialysis patients should be allowed [...]

DPC Urges Arizona to Maintain Medicaid Reimbursement for Dialysis

Hannah Bracamonte2024-03-29T01:50:34+00:00February 27th, 2015|Categories: Comment Letter, Medicaid, State Advocacy|

Governor Doug Ducey 1700 West Washington St. Phoenix, AZ 85007 RE: Proposed Cuts to Medicaid Coverage Dear Governor Ducey, As America’s largest patient-led organization representing over 28,000 members, Dialysis Patient Citizens (DPC) works to improve the quality of life of all dialysis patients through education and advocacy. Dialysis is a life-sustaining care delivered to over 12,400 patients in Arizona who have End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD), also known as kidney failure. For those with ESRD, receiving regular dialysis or a kidney transplant are the only treatments that allow patients to continue living. The number of individuals with kidney failure continues to [...]

Affordable Care Act Enrollment Reaches 9.5 Million as February 15 Deadline Approaches

Hannah Bracamonte2024-03-29T01:50:34+00:00February 4th, 2015|Categories: Promote Financial Security|Tags: Affordable Care Act|

Open enrollment for individual coverage in the Affordable Care Act (ACA)’s public health insurance exchanges began in November of last year. The deadline for enrollment is February 15, 2015. So far approximately 9.5 million people have either newly enrolled or re-enrolled in the exchanges, with 7.1 million enrolling in the 37 states that use the federal marketplace, HealthCare.gov. Of those 7.1 million, approximately 6.2 million received financial assistance to help pay for coverage. Also, 4.16 million re-enrolled in health plans, and 3 million selected a plan for the first time. Again, thank you to the patients who have shared stories with [...]

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