Dialysis Patient Citizens News
Advocacy Day application deadline is THURSDAY
As a reminder, the Advocacy Day application deadline is Thursday, February 28. If you haven't already applied, please consider doing so. We are very fortunate that we are able to bring dialysis patients to Washington, D.C. each year to meet with their elected officials. This provides advocates like you with the unique opportunity to make your voice heard on behalf of dialysis patients from your state in order to improve dialysis care. This year is no exception. We will meet with Members of Congress and their staff on [...]
2018 Midterm Election Wrap-Up
By Megan Hashbarger, Director of Congressional and State Relations, Dialysis Patient Citizens This past November, America held its 2018 midterm elections. We call it a midterm election because it is held between the four-year cycle of Presidential elections and is often seen as a reflection of the country’s temperament towards the President’s agenda. This cycle saw big wins for Democrats but also some solid victories for Republicans. While Democrats picked up over 40 seats and retook the majority in the House, Republicans held on to and increased [...]
Assembly Bill 290 Threatens Dialysis Quality and Access for Patients Living in California
Receiving dialysis treatment three times a week is critical to survival for the 70,000 patients in California with End-Stage Renal Disease, or kidney failure. Unfortunately, this access to treatment is being threatened with California Assembly Bill 290 (Woods), which may disrupt the provider network dialysis patients rely on and lower the quality of care they depend on. This legislation is similar to Senate Bill 1156, which was defeated by dialysis patients and vetoed by California Governor Jerry Brown last year. Specifically, we are concerned that AB 290 will cut [...]
NIH Seeks Volunteers to Help Cure Diseases and Solve Health Problems
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is looking for volunteers to participate in the All of Us program, which is a research initiative that tracks the health of U.S. participants. The initiative is not centered around a specific disease or population. Instead, it is intended to accelerate research and improve a large assortment of health conditions by evaluating the impact of lifestyle, environment and biological makeup on health and disease. Participants may elect to help by filling out surveys, sharing electronic health records, getting a physical, sharing [...]
DPC’s Advocacy Day Application is NOW OPEN!
As highlighted last month, Dialysis Patient Citizens would like to reiterate our gratitude for all of your efforts to elevate the patient voice with policy makers in 2018. To say thanks, we would like to invite you to apply for our 2019 Advocacy Day! We are very fortunate that we are able to bring dialysis patients to Washington, D.C. each year to meet with their elected officials. This provides advocates like you with the unique opportunity to make your voice heard on behalf of dialysis patients from your state [...]
Getting to Know Your Members of Congress
DPC Board Member Andrew Conkling with Alabama Representative Gary Palmer Part of the responsibility of advocating for your health is getting informed about and building relationships with your local lawmakers. The 2018 midterm elections brought in more than 100 new Representatives on January 3, 2019, many of whom have never held elected office. A lot of these new Members are women and minorities. Now is great time to start getting to know your local lawmakers to educate them on kidney disease and to share your story. [...]
Become a Member of DPC and Save on Top Brands
Treat yourself this year with the gift of free DPC membership. One of the perks we offer our members is discounts on top brands. If you are planning to purchase a computer, rent a car, move to a new home, ship a package, print materials or buy office supplies, you could benefit from DPC membership. Become a member and join almost 40,000 patients, family members, health professionals and friends that help to elevate the voice of individuals with chronic kidney disease. Join Dialysis Patient Citizens.
Happy Holidays and DPC’s Top 10 Accomplishments of 2018
Dialysis Patient Citizens wants to wish you and your family a Happy Holiday, as well as a safe and healthy New Year. We also want to take this opportunity to share with you our Top 10 list of accomplishments for 2018, which would not have been possible without your support. Thank you for helping us elevate the dialysis patient voice with policy makers. We are extremely grateful for all of your efforts, and we look forward to our continued collaboration in 2019 as we work together to [...]
The Lame Duck Congress
The 115th Congress has three remaining weeks to conduct business before the new Congress is sworn in on January 3, 2019. With so many outgoing Members and with Democrats taking over control of the House, some speculated Congress would get a lot accomplished during this lame duck session. That, however, does not appear to be the case. Last week, following the passing of President George H.W. Bush, Congress quietly passed a spending bill, which will keep the government running through December 21, 2018. In order to avert a government shutdown, they [...]
Remembering Bob Lee
Dialysis Patient Citizens (DPC) Education Center mourns the sudden passing of Board Member Robert “Bob” Lee, 54. Lee was a dedicated activist from Oregon who played a critical role in educating policy makers about the importance of protecting patient choice and access to care. Specifically, his continuous outreach to Senator Wyden helped secure passage of legislation to open Medicare Advantage to dialysis patients. Lee traveled to Washington, DC multiple times to meet with Members of Congress. He also travelled to Salem to testify at hearings before the [...]
Medicare Adds Transplant Measure to ESRD Quality Improvement Program
On November 1, 2018, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued its final annual rule updating payment policies for the End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Prospective Payment System and the ESRD Quality Incentive Program (QIP). Among new quality measures to take effect beginning in 2022 is Percentage of Prevalent Patients Placed on a Transplant Waiting List (PPPW). This measure was already scheduled to be reported for individual clinics, beginning next year, on CMS’ Dialysis Facility Compare website. Adding it to the QIP means that facilities can [...]
California Residents Vote Against Proposition 8 to Protect Dialysis Patients’ Access to Care
With a 62 percent majority vote, California residents voted against proposition 8, which could have had devastating consequences for dialysis patients’ access to care if passed. DPC is grateful for all of the patients and advocates who spoke to their friends, family, and peers about the dangers of this flawed ballot initiative. We will continue our work to elevate the voice of individuals with kidney disease, as we fight for patients' rights and continued access to quality care. There are over 84,0001 individuals in California with kidney failure. [...]
Medicare Threat to Vascular Access Centers Delayed
Last month we reported that the Centers for Medicaid Services (CMS) was proposing to cut reimbursement for vascular access centers effective January 2019. We’re pleased to report now that CMS is delaying any cuts as it studies the matter further. In recent years, CMS has pushed for “site-neutral payments,” meaning that Medicare pays the same for procedures regardless of whether they are performed in a doctor’s office or a more costly hospital setting. Specifically, this means paying at the lowest rate. In the case of vascular surgery for dialysis access, [...]
Proposition 8 Podcast and 48 Hours Left to Vote
Podcast About Proposition 8 Dialysis Patient Citizens recently spoke at length about the disastrous consequences if proposition 8 were to be passed. Listen to the podcast. The Dangers of Proposition 8 Proposition 8 is a dangerous ballot initiative in California, and if passed, can have devastating consequences for dialysis patients’ access to care. Specifically, many dialysis facilities will face potential closure leaving patients to: Scramble to find new dialysis facilities for their treatment and Potentially travel much farther to receive their life-saving care Dialysis patient access to care [...]
Advocacy for More Care Coordination
DPC continues its advocacy in support of the Dialysis PATIENTS Demonstration Act (H.R. 4143/S. 2065), recently reaching out to members of both the House of Representatives and Senate. In our letters to Congress, we highlighted a number of important healthcare improvements for dialysis patients that are tied to the PATIENTS Act, including better care coordination, additional patient support and improved quality standards among clinics. DPC is joined by a number of organizations that agree on the potential benefits to patients in The Dialysis PATIENTS Act and have pledged [...]
California Residents: October 22 Voter Registration Deadline Approaching
The deadline to register to vote in California is Monday, October 22. This is an especially important year to get your voice heard as the outcome of the election can impact the over 84,0001 individuals in California with kidney failure. Proposition 8 is a dangerous ballot initiative in California, and if passed, can have devastating consequences for dialysis patients’ access to care. Specifically, many dialysis facilities will face potential closure leaving patients to: Scramble to find new dialysis facilities for their treatment and Potentially travel much farther to receive their life-saving [...]
DPC Increases Advocacy Efforts to Help Block Proposition 8
Proposition 8 is a dangerous ballot initiative that California residents will be asked to vote on this November. If proposition 8 is passed, this can have devastating consequences for dialysis patients’ access to care. Specifically, many dialysis facilities will face potential closure leaving patients to: Scramble to find new dialysis facilities for their treatment and Potentially travel much farther to receive their life-saving care Even if you are not a resident of California, your influence can help dialysis patients. Please help us spread the word about the dangers [...]
November’s Patient Ambassador Call: The Impact of the 2018 Election on Dialysis Patients
Get the inside scoop about what the results of this year’s election mean for you as a dialysis patient. In addition, find out what you can do after the election to ensure your access to care is not compromised. Join our Patient Ambassador call on Tuesday, November 13 at 3:00PM Eastern for more information. What is a Patient Ambassador? A Patient Ambassador is a person with kidney disease or family member who volunteers to represent DPC by being a leader in their community and local dialysis facility. One [...]
California Governor Vetoes Bill After Dialysis Patients Raise Concerns
Thanks to the help of many dialysis patients and advocates, California Governor Jerry Brown vetoed Senate Bill 1156. Senate Bill 1156 is one of the many policy issues impacting dialysis patients that DPC worked on this year. In 2018 alone, DPC and its advocates sent over 55,000 emails to lawmakers expressing concerns about the bill. In addition, with the help of local patients, DPC met with over 40 lawmakers in California to speak about the negative impact this bill would have on individuals receiving dialysis treatment. DPC [...]
DPC Comments on Threat to Vascular Access Centers
The Centers for Medicaid Services (CMS) is proposing to cut reimbursement for vascular access centers. This could negatively impact dialysis patents’ access to care, which is why we have weighed in on this important issue. Dialysis Access and Fistulas People with kidney failure need to have a dialysis access placed in order to receive live-saving dialysis treatments. Vascular surgeons create and maintain arteriovenous fistulas, which is a type of dialysis access. Fistulas are important for individuals on dialysis as they are considered a best practice in kidney [...]