Dialysis Patient Citizens News
Statement of Dialysis Patient Citizens on Confirmation of Xavier Becerra as Secretary of Health and Human Services
Dialysis Patient Citizens (DPC) congratulates Xavier Becerra on his confirmation as Secretary of the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). DPC appreciates his dedication to serving our nation and looks forward to working with him on policies that benefit the health and well-being of the millions of Americans suffering from kidney disease, and especially those who require dialysis treatments. Dialysis Patient Citizens is a nationwide, non-profit, patient-led organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for all dialysis patients through education and advocacy. Through our [...]
DPC’s Annual Advocacy Day Application is Now Open! Apply by April 9, 2021
Each year Dialysis Patient Citizens is pleased to bring kidney patients and transplant recipients to Washington, D.C. to meet with their legislators and talk about issues that affect their quality of care. Due to the ongoing pandemic and out of abundance of safety for our patients, this year we will be hosting our fly-in virtually on September 21st, with two opportunities of training beforehand. Participants will be selected based on the quality of their application, legislative priorities, and previous involvement in DPC's advocacy efforts. Next year when we [...]
Bipartisan Living Donor Protection Act Introduced to Protect Organ Donors
Congressman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) and Congresswoman Jamie Herrera Beutler (R-WA), joined by Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR), introduced the Living Donor Protection Act to protect the rights of living organ donors. The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) does not specify that living organ donors can take unpaid leave to recover from their donation and does not guarantee that donors will have a job waiting for them after surgery. Further, according to a 2007 study in the American Journal of Transplantation, as many as [...]
Bipartisan, Bicameral Members of Congress Urge Biden Administration to Finalize Organ Procurement Reforms
A coalition of congressional leaders from the Senate Committee on Finance and the House Committee on Oversight and Reform today urged the Biden administration to finalize a rule to reform the organ procurement system in the United States. The letter, sent to Acting Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Norris Cochran was signed by Senate Finance Committee Chair Ron Wyden, D-Ore.; Senators Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, Ben Cardin, D-Md., and Todd Young, R-Ind.; House Committee on Oversight and Reform (COR) Committee Chairwoman Carolyn B. Maloney, D-N.Y., and Ranking Member [...]
Dialysis Patient Citizens Commends Reintroduction of the Jack Reynolds Memorial Medigap Expansion Act
WASHINGTON, March 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Dialysis Patient Citizens (DPC) released the following statement today thanking Congresswomen Cynthia Axne (D-IA-03) and Jaime Herrera Beutler (R-WA-03) for introducing the Jack Reynolds Memorial Medigap Expansion Act (H.R. 1676) in honor of founding DPC Board member and longest-serving president Jack Reynolds. The bill, which was originally introduced last year, would expand Medigap coverage for patients under 65 who suffer from End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD). "Currently, it's up to each state to determine whether Medigap plans are sold to the more than 9 million people younger than 65 years old [...]
DPC’s Letter to Elizabeth Fowler, Deputy Administrator for CMMI
Ms. Elizabeth Fowler, Deputy Administrator Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation 2810 Lord Baltimore Drive Windsor Mill, MD 21244. Dear Ms. Fowler: We are seeking a bottom-up review of the ESRD Treatment Choice (ETC) demonstration including consideration of other options to pilot innovations to improve home dialysis take-up and kidney transplantation. Like other kidney advocates, we appreciated the long-overdue cabinet-level attention that was paid to these issues under the Trump administration. But, the ETC program is flawed in concept and execution, and represents a missed opportunity to address [...]
Dori Wolf: Kidney Care
By Dori Wolf of Woodland, CA, DPC Patient Ambassador Finding out I had kidney disease in 1984 forced me to change a lot in my life. Thankfully, due to my work to stay healthy, I was able to avoid needing dialysis until 2007. Starting dialysis was a draining experience that required drastic changes to my diet and exercise habits, despite constantly feeling unwell. However, with the support of my family, I’ve been able to follow doctors’ advice and keep up with treatments. A major frustration, however, has [...]
DPC Advocates Advance Dialysis Patient Issues at the State Level
Despite the ongoing pandemic and economic crisis, many state legislators recognize the added challenges faced by dialysis patients every day. Some have responded by introducing legislation to increased dialysis patient access to Medigap plans to help patients cover their 20% coinsurance expenses. Others are working to advance legislation to help increase the pool of living kidney donors. DPC would like to recognize some of the patient leaders who are elevating the patient voice by educating state legislators on the importance of these efforts. DPC Board Members Adrian Miller [...]
The BETTER Kidney Care Act is an important step forward
By Bryce Mumford, DPC Patient Ambassador My experience with dialysis extends four years: from when my first kidney transplant failed in 2014 to when I received my second transplant in 2018. During that time, the most frustrating thing I encountered was a lack of care coordination. I bounced between several doctors who treated my various health issues independently. Every doctor’s visit required me to provide my full medical history, which was time-consuming and labor-intensive. This was a burdensome task while still working a full-time job to support [...]
President Declares State of Emergency in Texas
The winter storm that recently crippled the state of Texas was difficult to watch, knowing millions of people were struggling to access electricity, heat, and clean water. But this situation was even more dire for dialysis patients whose lives literally depend on these resources, as well as the access to safe transportation to them. If you or a loved one are in need of assistance after this storm, please visit https://www.disasterassistance.gov/ to apply for assistance. Additionally, as a dialysis patient, should you ever find yourself in an emergency [...]
Open Enrollment Period for Current Medicare Advantage Members
From January 1 – March 31 each year, if you’re enrolled in a Medicare Advantage Plan, you can switch to a different Medicare Advantage Plan or switch to Original Medicare (and join a separate Medicare drug plan) once during this time. If you enrolled in a Medicare Advantage Plan during your Initial Enrollment Period (October 15 – December 7 last year) you can change to another Medicare Advantage Plan or go back to Original Medicare within the first 3 months of 2021. To help kidney patients explore [...]
State Legislatures Introduce Bills that Would Positively Impact Dialysis Patients
With the start of the new year, state legislatures throughout the country are beginning their legislative sessions with a flurry of new bills being introduced on a wide-ranging number of topics. While the Covid-19 pandemic and its economic impact will dominate much of the activity at state houses across the country this year, we are encouraged that some of the bills already filed this session would improve health outcomes for dialysis patients. Both Arizona and Kentucky have already introduced bills to expand Medicare supplemental insurance, or Medigap. This [...]
Recent Healthcare Activity Focuses on Social Determinants of Health
The past two years have seen a flurry of activity aimed at addressing "social determinants of health” (SDOH) that historically get short shrift in the health care system. SDOH refers to the range of social, environmental, and economic factors that can influence health status—conditions that can often have a greater impact on health outcomes than the actual delivery of health services. Last week, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued guidance to state health officials encouraging strategies in the Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) [...]
Update on Immunosuppressive Medications Bill
I wanted to thank you for your advocacy efforts in support of extending immunosuppressive drug coverage for transplant patients. Earlier this week, President Trump signed into law much needed legislation that will provide kidney transplant recipients with insurance for anti-rejection medications beyond the current 36 months of Medicare coverage currently available to them. This effort was a top priority for DPC when I joined the organization nearly a decade ago, and we continued to press for passage along with the broader kidney community. While our mission is to [...]
Happy Holidays and DPC’s Top Accomplishments for 2020
Dialysis Patient Citizens wants to wish you and your family a Happy Holiday, as well as a safe and healthy New Year. DPC offices will be closed for the holidays starting December 24 through January 1. We also want to take this opportunity to share our list of Top Accomplishments for 2020, which would not have been possible without your support. Thank you again for helping us elevate the dialysis patient voice with policy makers. We are extremely grateful for all of your advocacy efforts, and we [...]
Action Alert – Secure Patient Access to Immunosuppressive Medications
The Comprehensive Immunosuppressive Drug Coverage for Kidney Transplant Patients Act recently passed in the House and has 24 cosponsors in the Senate. This bill was included in a larger legislative package, and we need your help getting this bill passed by contacting your Senators today. This bill was introduced by Representatives Ron Kind (D-WI) and Michael Burgess (R-TX), as well as Senators Bill Cassidy (R-LA) and Dick Durbin (D-IL). This legislation would extend Medicare coverage of immunosuppressive drugs beyond the current limit of 36 months for patients [...]
Action Alert – Increase Access to Care Coordination for Dialysis Patients
The BETTER Kidney Care Act (H.R. 8254/S. 4574) is gaining support in Congress. The bill has 72 cosponsors in the House and three cosponsors in the Senate. Please help us get this bill passed by contacting your Members of Congress today. The BETTER Kidney Care Act (H.R. 8254/S. 4574) was introduced by Senators Young (R-IN) and Sinema (D-AZ), along with Representatives Blumenauer (D-OR) and Smith (R-MO). This bill would enhance access to care coordination services for thousands of patients across the United States currently living with End-Stage Renal Disease [...]
In Rejecting Prop 23, California Voters Protect Patient Access to Care
California voters overwhelmingly opposed Proposition 23, a statewide measure that threatened dialysis patient access to care. It was the second ballot measure in California proposed by a labor union in the last two years and the second resounding defeat for the union, and this time by an even wider margin than in 2018. DPC was part of a broad and diverse coalition that included other patient advocacy organizations, dialysis providers and caregivers, and groups representing physicians, nurses, veterans and social justice communities that opposed this harmful measure because it [...]
Dialysis Patient Citizens and Consumers’ Checkbook Introduce Dialysis Plan Choice To Help Patients During Open Enrollment
WASHINGTON, D.C., -- Dialysis Patient Citizens (DPC) today introduced Dialysis Plan Choice, a new online tool designed in collaboration with Consumers' Checkbook for dialysis patients to quickly and easily compare their current Medicare Fee-For-Service plan with the options available to them through Medicare Advantage now that Open Enrollment is underway. "For many dialysis patients, this year marks the first time they will be eligible to enroll in Medicare Advantage plans thanks to the passage of the 21st Century Cures Act in 2016," said DPC Board President Andrew Conkling. "Since this [...]
BETTER Kidney Care Act the Best Move to Defend Patient Access to Care
As the COVD-19 pandemic continues to cause problems for Americans across the country, many people have been concerned about their ability to access the care that they need. Naturally, many patients are worried about where they can turn if they fall ill, and what it could potentially cost them. Being able to see all the necessary care providers is of particular concern for patients like me who have end-stage renal disease (ESRD). ESRD can compromise a patient’s immune system, making us vulnerable to serious health problems even [...]