Kidney Care Partners gives recommendations for 5-star rating expert panel
Published by Nephrology News & Issues Feb. 25, 2015 On Feb. 13, the Kidney Care Partners sent recommendations for the ESRD Five Star Technical Expert Panel in a letter to Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services administrator Marilyn Tavenner. “Kidney Care Partners would like to work with your team and the TEP to identify ways…
Coalition Wants CMS to Make Changes To Dialysis Facilities’ Star Ratings
Published by Bloomberg BNA Michael D. Williamson Feb. 18, 2015 A coalition of dialysis providers, patient advocates and drug companies recently urged the CMS to change the rating system used on the agency’s Dialysis Facility Compare website. The coalition, known as Kidney Care Partners, provided recommendations in its Feb. 13 letter for the agency’s end-stage renal…
CMS updates Dialysis Facility Compare star ratings page to include disclaimer
Published by Nephrology News & Issues Rebecca Zumoff Jan. 29, 2015 The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has updated its Dialysis Facility Compare star ratings information pageto include disclaimer language about low ratings. After CMS launched the program Jan. 22, Dialysis Patient Citizens expressed disappointment that the agency did not follow through on its…
Did CMS Adequately Collaborate with Stakeholders Before Launching Dialysis Star Ratings?
Published by Bloomberg BNA Michael Williamson Jan. 22, 2015 At least two groups representing the dialysis community don’t seem to think so. Kidney Care Partners (KCP), which represents patient advocates, dialysis professionals, care providers and product manufacturers, and Dialysis Patient Citizens, an advocacy group for people needing dialysis treatment, separately criticized the Centers for Medicare…
CMS Launches Dialysis Five Star Rankings Program Despite Numerous Flaws, Concerns Expressed By Nation’s Kidney Community
Stakeholder Groups Remain Upset Over Agency’s Rejection of Numerous Efforts to Collaborate WASHINGTON, DC – Kidney Care Partners (KCP) reiterated its concern over the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) decision to launch its five star rankings program using a methodology that distorts the actual quality performance of dialysis facilities, a concern echoed by…
How To Cure Kidney Disease? Let’s Start by Restoring NIH Funding
Published by Roll Call Dr. Sharon Moe Jan. 22, 2015 More than 20 million Americans have kidney disease — many of whom are undiagnosed — and more than 600,000 Americans with kidney failure rely on dialysis or a transplant to remain alive. Multiple factors are at play in these staggering statistics. Diabetes, high blood pressure…
CMS Launches Star-Rating System For Dialysis Facilities; Provider Groups Upset
Published by Bloomberg BNA Michael Williamson & Brian Broderick Jan. 22, 2015 Development: CMS adds star-rating system to the Dialysis Facility Compare website. Additional Development: CMS will be making a public call for nominations for participation in a technical expert panel for the ratings system. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Jan. 22 added…
Statement of Dialysis Patient Citizens (DPC) on Release of Dialysis Facility Compare Star Ratings
Published by Dialysis Patient Citizens Jan. 22, 2015 Today for the first time consumers are able to examine the new star ratings on Dialysis Facility Compare, which after initial review only reinforces Dialysis Patient Citizens’ concern over the effectiveness of this program in its current form. For example, a dialysis patient who searches for facilities…
Dialysis Facility Star Ratings Go Live Despite Pleas For A Delay
Published by Inside Health Policy John Wilkerson Jan. 22, 2015 Despite pleas from patients and industry for a delay, CMS on Thursday (Jan. 22) added star ratings to the Dialysis Facility Compare website. CMS said the ratings will help consumers choose high quality dialysis facilities by summarizing performance data, but patients and industry say the…
Group Files Complaint With CMS Over Dialysis Facility Star Ratings
Published by Bloomberg BNA December 19, 2014 Development: Group files challenge with CMS about facility quality measures, saying ratings are distorted by social and demographic factors. A group representing patients has filed what it called a challenge to the CMS’s dialysis facility quality measures. Dialysis Patient Citizens announced Dec. 16 its challenge filed with the Centers…