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DPC Comments on Latest QIP Proposed Rule
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 On August 30, DPC sent a letter to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) providing comments on the Proposed Rule for the Changes to the End Stage Renal Disease Prospective Payment System for CY 2012, End Stage Renal Disease Quality Incentive Program for PY 2013 and PY 2014, the most recent proposed rule suggesting changes to the ESRD Quality Incentive Program (QIP).
As a member of Kidney Care Partners (KCP), DPC stated its strong support for the comments submitted by the coalition, and used the comment letter as an opportunity to highlight a few points and emphasize several key priorities.
>Read More
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DPC Welcomes New Grassroots Manager and Government Affairs Associate
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 We are happy to announce that Carrie Lamb and Andrea Blamble have joined DPC, serving respectively as Grassroots Manager and Government Affairs Associate.
Most recently Carrie did advocacy work for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society's Public Policy Office, where she worked on issues relating to Medicare, Medicaid, access to long-term care and medical research funding, among others. Previously she worked as a policy intern for the Rhode Island State Treasury Department and also has experience working with inner-city youth.
Originally from New Paltz, New York, Carrie graduated from Providence College with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and she was a member of the school's swim team. She is currently a second year graduate student at American University in the Masters of Public Administration program.
As a recent graduate of Ohio University, Andrea has been a life-long advocate on health issues, volunteering extensively with the Arthritis Foundation since being diagnosed with Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis at the age of thirteen. In addition to helping with fundraising efforts, Andrea also created a support group for children with Arthritis where they could have a place to connect and meet other children their age going through the same situations.
Andrea graduated from Ohio University with a bachelor’s degree in Public Relations Journalism and a minor in Political Science. She was a member of Student Senate for four years, interned at the Ohio University Office of Nationally Competitive Awards and served on a variety of campus wide committees. She is originally from Columbus, Ohio.
We are excited to have Carrie and Andrea join our team and we know that they are going to be great additions to our organization. Please join us in welcoming them to DPC!
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DPC Sends Letter of Support for Immunosuppressive Drug Bill
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 On August 22, DPC sent a letter to Representatives Michael C. Burgess (R- 26th TX) and Ron Kind (D- 3rd WI), thanking them for their leadership and support of The Comprehensive Immunosuppressive Drug Coverage for Kidney Transplant Patients Act of 2011.
Currently, Medicare does not place a time limit on dialysis coverage after patients receive a kidney transplant; however, anti-rejection drugs for kidney transplant patients are only covered by Medicare for 36 months. After this 3-year period, recipients who do not already qualify for Medicare, due to age or disability, are no longer eligible for the benefit and are forced to find alternative coverage for their required daily medications.
The proposed legislation will extend the current benefit beyond 36 months and will result in a net savings to Medicare, provide transplantation as an affordable option to more patients and improve patient quality of life by reducing the back and forth from transplant to dialysis.
DPC anticipates the legislation will be introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives after August recess is over and a companion bill was introduced in the Senate earlier this year. DPC would again like to thank Representatives Burgess and Kind for their efforts and support on this very important issue.
>Read the full letter here
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DPC Continues to Advocate for Dialysis as an Essential Benefit
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 In August, DPC submitted a letter urging the Institute of Medicine (IOM) to include both dialysis and transplantation in the essential benefits package it recommends the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) adopt for the new health insurance exchanges.
When defining essential benefits for the health exchange plans, we find it difficult to imagine the exclusion of dialysis and transplantation, as both are absolutely essential to the survival of an ESRD patient. In fact, these life-preserving treatments allow hundreds of thousands of Americans to live high quality and fulfilling lives. Mandating dialysis as an essential benefit will enable thousands of Americans to take advantage of new coverage opportunities the exchanges create.
>Read the full comment letter here
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DPC Announces New Online Classroom
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 As part of our mission to empower patients through education, DPC has created a new online classroom called “Medicare and the Part D Donut Hole.” It joins our four other online educational tools: “Nutrition,” “Home Hemodialysis,” “The Heart of the Matter” and “Take an Active Role in Your Treatment.”
This classroom explains the care and services provided by each component of the Medicare program, with particular emphasis on the Part D prescription drug coverage. The classroom details the prescription drug “donut hole” and recent steps being taken to close the coverage gap and reduce costs for beneficiaries. Patients can find information on how to tell if they will fall into the “donut hole” and what resources are available to assist them. The classroom also includes a list of questions to facilitate meaningful discussions between patients and caregivers surrounding prescription drug coverage and barriers to medications adherence.
All five DPC classrooms can be found at www.dpcclassroom.org or through the DPC website at www.dialysispatients.org. If you do not have access to the Internet and would like our educational information, please call DPC toll-free at 1-866-877-4242.
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September Calendar of Events
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 DPC is happy to announce its list of activities for the month of September. Please let us know if you have any questions about DPC events or activities, and we hope you enjoy September!
September is National Cholesterol Education Month
If you would like assistance writing a letter to editor about the link between high cholesterol and kidney failure, please contact our office.
September 5: Labor Day (DPC offices will be closed for the holiday.)
September 13 – 16: DPC Washington DC Fly-In
September 27: Patient Education Call (this call is open to all DPC members)
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