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About Hannah Bracamonte

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So far Hannah Bracamonte has created 677 blog entries.

DPC Mourns the Loss of Previous Board Members

2024-03-29T02:08:04+00:00September 3rd, 2014|Categories: Article, Board Members|

DPC was saddened to learn of the recent passing of two of our previous board members, Robert (Bob) Mize and William (Bill) Litchfield. Robert Mize was one of three patients who served as a founding board member. He was instrumental in laying the groundwork for the successful advocacy and education programs we produce today.  He frequently made trips to Washington, D.C. to elevate the patient voice and his dedication to promoting kidney disease awareness and education will surely be missed. Robert Mize on the steps of the Supreme Court. William Litchfield also served on the board of DPC [...]

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DPC to Host Regional Meetings

2024-03-29T02:08:04+00:00September 3rd, 2014|Categories: Article, State Advocacy, Treatment Options|

DPC is excited to announce the beginning of a new program to further engage kidney disease patients through education and advocacy. For the first time ever, DPC is hosting four regional meetings in sites around the country to bring dialysis patients together to engage on issues important to their care and well-being. The inaugural locations for these regional meetings are as follows: Detroit, Michigan; Seattle, Washington; Houston, Texas and New York, New York. We have partnered with the American Psychological Association to provide an informative and engaging session on the importance of having good mental health as a kidney disease [...]

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Medicare Agency Under Fire For “Star” Ratings of Health Care Providers

2024-03-29T02:08:04+00:00September 3rd, 2014|Categories: 5-Star Ratings, Article, Comment Letter, Quality Incentive Program|

Can Dialysis Facilities Be Rated Like Movies and Restaurants? Earlier this year, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced plans to expand its movie critic-style “star” rating system, currently in place for nursing homes and Medicare HMOs, to include dialysis facilities and other health care providers. The controversy began earlier this summer when CMS disclosed the system it had devised to assign star ratings for dialysis facilities. DPC was among the first to speak out and express concern, emphasizing four items in particular: Stars were to be assigned on a “bell curve” grading system, in which thirty percent of [...]

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DPC Comments on 2015 Prospective Payment System and QIP

2024-03-29T02:08:04+00:00August 28th, 2014|Categories: Comment Letter, Dialysis Funding, Quality Incentive Program|

Hon. Marilyn Tavenner, Administrator Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Department of Health and Human Services Hubert H. Humphrey Building 200 Independence Avenue, SW Washington, D.C. 20201 Re: CMS-1614-P: End-Stage Renal Disease Prospective Payment System, Quality Incentive Program, and Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics, and Supplies Dear Administrator Tavenner: Dialysis Patient Citizens (DPC) appreciates the opportunity to provide the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) with comments on the proposed payment rule for the Medicare End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) program. As America’s largest patient-led organization representing dialysis patients, DPC’s membership consists of more than 26,000 dialysis and pre-dialysis [...]

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Kidney Patients Join Industry In Opposing CMS’ Dialysis Star Rating System

2024-03-29T02:08:05+00:00August 8th, 2014|Categories: 5-Star Ratings, Press|

Kidney patients have joined the fight against the Medicare star-rating program for dialysis facilities, and they’re making the same arguments as industry. Patient advocates say that the bell curve nature of the program will confuse patients, especially those in poor areas; the program is inconsistent with the existing dialysis Quality Incentive Program; and CMS should have sought feedback from patients and providers before forcing the program on them

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New Medicare Rule for Dialysis Facilities Brings Changes to “Pay for Performance” Formula

2024-03-29T02:08:05+00:00July 1st, 2014|Categories: Get Involved, Quality Incentive Program, Take Action|

Last week, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released its Proposed Rule specifying how dialysis facilities will be paid in 2015 and beyond. Most of the proposed changes relate to the Quality Improvement Program for dialysis. The Quality Improvement Program (QIP) sets performance standards for each clinic and penalizes clinics that do not meet or make progress toward the standards by cutting their payments by up to two percent. The purpose is to incentivize providers to do a better job by tying their pay to performance. This year’s rule proposes several changes including new measures related to: patient [...]

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Kidney Care Bill Introduced in U.S. House of Representatives

2024-03-29T02:08:05+00:00June 30th, 2014|Categories: Article, Care Coordination, Medicare Advantage, Treatment Options|

Congressmen John Lewis (D-GA) and Tom Marino (R-PA) have introduced the Chronic Kidney Disease Improvement in Research and Treatment Act in the U.S. House of Representatives. Lewis and Marino are leaders on the Congressional Kidney Caucus and have been staunch supporters of dialysis patients over the years. This bill seeks to advance several proactive kidney care policy initiatives and provides a vehicle for educating Members of Congress and the public about the issues facing kidney disease patients and the kidney community as a whole. The bill would: Improve understanding of kidney disease: The legislation seeks to identify the gaps in critical [...]

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