Promote Financial Security Archives - Page 38 of 40

Response Memo: FAQs Regarding Medicare and the Health Insurance Marketplace

Hannah Bracamonte2024-03-29T01:50:35+00:00September 24th, 2014|Categories: Comment Letter, Promote Financial Security|Tags: Health Insurance Exchange|

To: James Canavan, Center for Medicare, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Spencer Manasse, Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight, CMS Vicki Gottlich, Administration for Community Living Gene Coffey, Center for Medicaid and CHIP Services, CMS Janet Miller, Office of Communications, CMS Sharon Donovan, Medicare-Medicaid Coordination Office, CMS Re: Comments on “Frequently Asked Questions Regarding Medicare and the Marketplace” We appreciate that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Administration for Community Living (ACL) arranged a July meeting for beneficiary advocates to discuss our questions and concerns related to beneficiary transitions from coverage options created under [...]

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 [...]

Kidney Community Rallies for Key Victory in Louisiana
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Kidney Community Rallies for Key Victory in Louisiana

Hannah Bracamonte2024-03-29T02:08:05+00:00June 3rd, 2014|Categories: Article, Charitable Premium Assistance, State Advocacy|

Recently, Blue Cross Blue Shield stopped accepting third party payments for medical premiums in the new health exchanges. This meant that dialysis patients in the state of Louisiana could not use financial assistance from organizations such as the American Kidney Fund (AKF) to subsidize their premium costs. Nearly 2,000 low-income Louisiana dialysis patients rely on help from assistance organizations to maintain their access to health insurance. For people with kidney failure, the out-of-pocket treatment costs are very high, and it is particularly challenging for a person on dialysis to remain employed because of the frequent treatment schedule (typically three times [...]

The Senior Medicare Patrol Program Helps Medicare Beneficiaries Prevent, Detect, and Report Health Care Fraud

Hannah Bracamonte2024-03-29T02:08:05+00:00May 5th, 2014|Categories: Article, Promote Financial Security|

By Ginny Paulson, SMP Resource Center Director Medicare loses billions each year due to fraud, error, and abuse. This not only compromises the Medicare Trust Fund, but individual beneficiaries’ future benefits and health are placed at risk as well. This problem is being addressed at many levels of government, including the nationwide Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) program. SMPs work at the grass roots level in all 50 states plus Washington D.C., Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The SMP mission is to empower and assist Medicare beneficiaries, their families, and caregivers to prevent, detect, and report health care fraud, [...]

Re: Support for S.B. 403

Hannah Bracamonte2024-03-29T02:08:06+00:00May 1st, 2014|Categories: Charitable Premium Assistance, Comment Letter, State Advocacy|

Louisiana House Insurance Committee 900 North Third Street Baton Rouge, LA 70804 Re: Support for S.B. 403 Dear Chairman Cromer and Committee, As America’s largest patient-led organization representing over 27,000 members, Dialysis Patient Citizens (DPC) works to improve the quality of life of all dialysis patients through education and advocacy. Today we are writing on behalf of the over 6,000 dialysis patients in Louisiana to support S.B. 403, which allows third-party payments for premiums. BlueCross Blue Shield of Louisiana (BCBSLA) recently instituted a new policy of no longer accepting thirdparty payments for premiums. We believe this policy is detrimental to [...]

Re: Discrimination Against Dialysis Patients by BlueCross Blue Shield of Louisiana

Hannah Bracamonte2024-03-29T02:08:06+00:00April 8th, 2014|Categories: Charitable Premium Assistance, Comment Letter, State Advocacy|Tags: Health Insurance Exchange|

Phyllis Borzi, Assistant Secretary Employee Benefits Security Administration Department of Labor Washington, DC John P. Albert, Director Division of Medicare Secondary Payer Policy Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Baltimore, MD Re: Discrimination against dialysis patients by BlueCross Blue Shield of Louisiana Dear Ms. Borzi and Mr. Albert: As America’s largest patient-led organization representing over 27,000 members, Dialysis Patient Citizens (DPC) works to improve the quality of life of all dialysis patients through education and advocacy. Today we are writing on behalf of the over 6,000 dialysis patients in Louisiana to request inquiries into the new BlueCross Blue Shield of [...]

DPC Advocates Fly to Washington for 2014 World Kidney Fly-in
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DPC Advocates Fly to Washington for 2014 World Kidney Fly-in

Hannah Bracamonte2024-03-29T02:08:06+00:00April 1st, 2014|Categories: Article, Dialysis Funding, Improve Access to Care, Promote Financial Security|Tags: Advocacy Day|

DPC advocates flew to Washington, DC for our 2014 World Kidney Day Fly-in. Twenty-six patients and family members were joined by 19 provider representatives from 24 states. Advocates conducted 94 meetings with Members of Congress and their staff. This year, we asked Congress to protect funding for the Medicare ESRD program and to open Medicare Part C to people on dialysis. Take a look at these pictures for the full story. The patients in the these pictures are our most active Patient Ambassadors. If you are interested in becoming a strong advocate for people with kidney disease, join the Patient Ambassador program! [...]

2014 World Kidney Day Fly-In

Hannah Bracamonte2024-03-29T02:08:06+00:00March 6th, 2014|Categories: Article, Medicare Advantage|Tags: Advocacy Day|

Dialysis Patient Citizens (DPC) will be hosting our annual World Kidney Day Fly-In from March 11 to March 13, 2014. Twenty-eight patients and family members from 23 states will arrive in Washington, DC to speak to nearly 100 Congressional offices about issues that affect people with kidney failure. In addition, the group will be joined by 17 dialysis facility professionals who will help amplify their message. The day prior to visiting Capitol Hill, participants will receive a comprehensive issue briefing and advocacy training from DPC staff. During this Fly-In we will be speaking with Congressional office staff about ensuring adequate funding [...]

DPC Expresses Concerns Regarding Changes to the Medicare Advantage and the Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit Programs

Hannah Bracamonte2024-03-29T02:08:06+00:00March 5th, 2014|Categories: Access to Transplant, Comment Letter, Immunosuppressive Drug Coverage, Medicare Advantage|

DPC Thanks Texas for Allowing ESRD Patients to Purchase Medigap Plans

Hannah Bracamonte2024-03-29T02:08:07+00:00January 27th, 2014|Categories: Comment Letter, Medigap Coverage, State Advocacy|

Ms. Sara Waitt, General Counsel Texas Department of Insurance P.O. Box 149104 Austin, TX 78714-9104 Re: Minimum Standards for Medicare Supplement Policies Dear Ms. Waitt, As America’s largest patient-led organization representing dialysis patients, Dialysis Patient Citizens (DPC) works to improve the quality of life of all dialysis patients through education and advocacy. Today we are writing on behalf of over 37,000 dialysis patients in Texas, specifically those who use the Texas Health Insurance Pool for supplemental insurance. We would like to express our gratitude for the recent decision to extend an additional two-month guaranteed issue period from the date of [...]

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