Proposed bipartisan kidney legislation takes on kidney disease epidemic in America
It wasn’t that long ago that kidney disease was considered a terminal illness. The first successful kidney transplant occurred just 69 years ago and the first dialysis clinic opened 12 years later. Our health care system took longer to respond – it was another decade before a Medicare program was established to help pay for…
Legislators introduce bill to improve access to CKD, ESKD care
Two U.S. senators recently introduced legislation to improve access to care for patients with chronic kidney disease. Sens. Ben Cardin (D-Md.) and Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) introduced S.1676, the Chronic Kidney Disease Improvement in Research and Treatment Act of 2019, on May 24. “If passed, this legislation would raise awareness, incentivize innovation, improve care and empower…
Congress, the administration, and kidney care community must further improve care for 30 million Americans
March is National Kidney Month, a perfect time to reflect on the progress made in kidney care and efforts to advance that success to the next level. The challenge facing individuals with kidney diseases requires a united effort from Congress, the Administration, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the kidney care community. Fortunately, the…
Azar: Incentives For Center-Based Dialysis Need To Change
HHS Secretary Alex Azar indicated Monday (March 4) that HHS hopes to change incentives for home dialysis and transplants, as he said the system is leading dialysis companies to keep from helping patients find or prep for a transplant and to not give patients the best options for care in the home. However, Kidney Care…
New kidney research initiatives unveiled at Capitol Hill summit
Published by Nephrology News & Issues A recent gathering of health care agencies and kidney care advocacy groups on Capitol Hill helped to launch some new initiatives for improving kidney care in the future. The Congressional Kidney Care Caucus, a group of legislators who have an interest in kidney care issues, hosted the event in…
Restricting third-party payments discriminates against patients on dialysis
Published by Healio Kidney disease has a frightening way of leveling the playing field – rich, poor, black or white, no one plans for the eventuality of losing the function of an essential organ. Although we know certain demographic groups are affected more frequently than others, for the most part, CKD and kidney failure are…
HHS Announces First KidneyX Prize Competition
Published by Inside Health Policy HHS on Friday (Sep. 28) announced about $2.6 million in prize money for the KidneyX: Redesign Dialysis competition, and Ed Simcox, HHS chief technology officer, said at a briefing that the while the prize competition can encourage innovation, coordination between FDA and CMS to improve patient access will also be…
Congress has a chance to improve insurance options for people with kidney failure and help fund opioid crisis treatment
Published by The Hill Taking a powerful jab at two devastating health crises at one time seems like a smart move. Kidney disease threatens the lives of more than 703,000 Americans with kidney failure—an 80 percent increase since 2000. With more than 10,000 new patients diagnosed with kidney failure every single month, 495,000 Americans on dialysis, and 208,000…
Azar Meets With Kidney Care Partners To Discuss New Reimbursement Paths
Published by Inside Health Policy HHS Secretary Alex Azar met with kidney disease advocates on Wednesday (June 13) to discuss a potential shift in reimbursement policy, which providers have said doesn’t currently cover the cost of providing kidney care in Medicare. Kidney Care Partners, which includes providers, those providing charitable assistance, patients and drug makers,…
Innovation Renews Hope for Patients with Kidney Disease
Published By MedPage Today by Crystal A. Gadegbeku, MD, FASN Forty million Americans are living with kidney diseases and 700,000 have kidney failure — a majority of whom depend on Medicare end-stage renal disease (ESRD) benefit for life-preserving medical care. While millions of lives are impacted by kidney-related illnesses, the United States, through unintended consequences…