Legislation aimed at health plans that push patients to Medicare gets more co-sponsors
A bill in the U.S. House of Representatives that would slow efforts by commercial health plans from moving patients with end-stage kidney disease to Medicare now has 30 co-sponsors, according to a press release. Click here to see the full article on the Healio website.
Legislators reintroduce bill to cover more screenings for CKD, expand Medigap coverage
Members of the U.S. Senate have reintroduced a bill that would provide Medicare funding for preventive screenings for kidney disease, add payments for innovative devices and allow patients younger than 65 years to buy Medigap coverage. Click here to see the full article.
Protect Personalized, Independent Kidney Care
For 50 years, the community-based dialysis center where I work has helped close healthcare gaps in our community by ensuring that patients can access high-quality kidney care in a convenient setting. But next January, a pending policy would make it much harder for our patients to maintain control over their care. Here’s why. Click here…
Red Tape Stifling Innovation in Kidney Care
Fifty years ago, the government created the Medicare End-Stage Renal Disease system to ensure that all patients with end-stage renal disease (ERSD), or kidney failure, could access dialysis treatment. The 1972 legislation was, in part, intended to prevent policies that were effectively rationing life-saving care at the time. Click here to read the full article.
CMS releases proposed rule aimed at increasing efficiencies, access to kidney transplants
CMS and HHS have announced a proposed rule aimed at improving the performance of transplant centers and addressing disparities in access to kidney transplants. The 6-year demonstration would be mandatory for about one-third of transplant centers in the United States and begin Jan. 1, 2025. Click here to read the full article.
New chair of Kidney Care Partners discusses goals for 2024
Healio | Nephrology News & Issues recently interviewed Mahesh Krishnan, MD, MPH, MBA, the new chair of Kidney Care Partners, about goals for the advocacy group in the coming year. Click here to see the full article.
Congress must restore vital protections for kidney care patients
Roughly 37 million Americans live with chronic kidney disease (CKD), and of those 37 million, more than 800,000 have seen their condition progress to end-stage renal disease (ESRD), also known as kidney failure. For these individuals, access to life-sustaining kidney care, including critical dialysis treatments, means the difference between life and death. Unfortunately, a recent Supreme…
Medicare Payment Rule Threatens Access to Life-Sustaining Kidney Care
Nationwide, the kidney care community faces myriad problems that are stretching resources thin and undermining patient access to care. As in many other health care sectors, the past several years have seen a growing workforce shortage among dialysis providers and nephrology registered nurses (RNs). High rates of burnout, an aging workforce, and the economic impact…
Misaligned payment polices hurt efforts to develop innovative kidney care solutions
In the pursuit of progress in patient-centered kidney care, it is essential to recognize the vital role that access to innovation plays in providing hope to people battling kidney disease. Click here to see the full article.
In final rule, CMS increases Medicare payments for dialysis facilities to 2.1% for 2024
CMS has released a final rule for the prospective payment system that increases the Medicare bundled payment rate for dialysis treatments by 2.1% in 2024, up from a 1.6% increase proposed in June. The new base rate will be $271.02 starting Jan. 1. Click here to see the full article.