Re: Discrimination Against End-Stage Renal Disease Patients by Health Net
Janice Rocco California Department of Insurance 300 Capitol Mall Suite 1700 Sacramento, CA 95814 Mary Watanabe Department of Managed Health Care (DMHC) 980 9th Street, Suite 500 Sacramento, CA 95814 Re: Discrimination against end-stage renal disease patients by Health Net Dear Deputy Commissioner Rocco and Deputy Director Watanabe: With 29,000 dialysis patient members, over 4,000 of whom reside in California, Dialysis Patient Citizens (DPC) is the nation’s largest patient-led organization representing individuals with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). On behalf of California’s 84,500 ESRD patients, I want to thank you for meeting with us to discuss the Health Net matter, which [...]
DPC Hosts Successful Advocacy Day
After weeks of planning, Dialysis Patient Citizens welcomed 30 patients and family members to Washington, D.C. to meet with their legislators on a beautiful spring day in April for our annual advocacy day. As you may know, last year our advocates were snowed in so we were very grateful for the warmer temperatures this time around! The patient ambassadors who attended this year’s advocacy day traveled from 20 different states and had experience with all modalities; transplant, in-center hemodialysis, home hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis. We were also fortunate to welcome 15 partners in care; nurses, social workers and facility administrators [...]
DPC Delivers Speech on the Importance of Charitable Assistance for Insurance Premiums
For decades, dialysis patients have received financial assistance from nonprofit organizations to help them maintain their private insurance or Medigap coverage. Recently, insurers started to reject these types of payments in an effort to purge kidney patients from their health plans. Jackson Williams, DPC’s Government Affairs Director, and Deborah Darcy, Director of Government Affairs at the American Kidney Fund, presented on this issue at the National Association of Insurance Commissioners’ (NAIC) National Meeting in New Orleans earlier this month. “For nearly 20 years, the American Kidney Fund has held a Federal Advisory Opinion that enables us to provide grants to [...]
Study: End Stage Renal Disease Patients Face Policy Barriers to Home Dialysis
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 Urges Members to Share Stories of Insurance Assistance from the American Kidney Fund
For decades, dialysis patients have received financial assistance from the American Kidney Fund to help them maintain their private insurance or Medigap coverage. Recently, insurers started to reject those payments from AKF in an effort to purge kidney patients from their health plans. We ask you to please share your stories about the help that AKF has provided and about any problems you have experienced due to an insurance company refusing to take AKF payments. You need not give your name. Click here to take our survey.
DPC Encourages Participation in National Kidney Month Awareness
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 [...]
DPC Sends Comment Letter on Chronic Care Working Group Document
A document released by the Senate Chronic Care Working Group in December contains several policy proposals for the care of end stage renal disease (ESRD) patients. DPC’s most recent e-newsletter outlined the proposal’s topics, which include opening Medicare Advantage plans to dialysis patients, and making Special Needs Plans permanent to better coordinate care. DPC recently submitted a letter commenting on these proposals. DPC supports the proposal to allow ESRD patients to enroll in Medicare Advantage (MA) plans without restrictions. Current guidelines prevent ESRD patients enrolled in traditional Medicare to enroll in Medicare Advantage plans. DPC encourages the working group to share comments they may receive [...]
DPC Submits Comments to Chronic Care Working Group Re: Medicare Advantage
Hon. Johnny Isakson Hon. Mark Warner United States Senate Washington, DC 20510 Re: Comments to the Chronic Care Working Group Dear Senators Isakson and Warner: As America’s largest patient-led organization representing persons with end-stage renal disease, with over 28,000 members, Dialysis Patient Citizens (DPC) works to improve quality of life for dialysis patients through education and advocacy. We are grateful to the Working Group for its focus on how chronic illness care could be improved for patients with ESRD. As you know, ESRD patients represent a small portion of Medicare beneficiaries but a disproportionately large percentage of Medicare expenditures. Much [...]
Paper from Senate Group Focuses on Improving Access to Healthcare
A recent document released by the Senate Chronic Care Working Group contains several policy proposals relating to the care of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients. The working group was formed last year under by Senate Finance Committee as a way to explore potential bipartisan policy changes to improve health care. DPC was pleased to see that committee discuss many of our our policy priorities including: dialysis patient access to Medicare Advantage Plans, Telehealth for dialysis patients and the desire to make the successful Special Needs Plans permanent to better coordinate care for dialysis patients. Currently, patients who are eligible for [...]