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DPC Comments to CMS Sound Alarm on Workforce Shortages

2024-08-22T14:11:27+00:00August 20th, 2024|Categories: Article, Comment Letter, Innovation, Medicare Advantage, Promote Financial Security, Protect Patient Care|

In our comments responding to Medicare’s annual ESRD Payment Rule, DPC took the government to task over payment updates that lag increases in labor costs and failure to effectively cover new drugs for dialysis patients. The proposed rule grants a net increase in the base rate of only 0.8% during a year in which wages, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics, rose 4.2%. The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission estimates a margin of zero for dialysis facilities in 2024, with many rural and low-volume facilities in the red. This occurs at a time in which a Supreme Court decision has emboldened [...]

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Indiana Governor Signs Affordable Medigap Access Legislation

2024-08-22T14:12:38+00:00August 16th, 2024|Categories: Article, Medigap Coverage, Protect Patient Care, State Advocacy|

In a major victory for under-age 65 dialysis patients in Indiana, Governor Eric Holcomb signed SB 215 in a formal bill signing ceremony on August 15, 2024. Attending this ceremonial bill signing was DPC Patient Ambassador Arthur Hill and DPC Eastern Region Advocacy Director Elizabeth Lively. Arthur’s impactful story of his dialysis journey elevated the voices of dialysis patients in Indiana, bringing the struggles of dealing with kidney failure to the forefront and influencing the hearts and minds of legislators to support SB 215. SB 215 becomes effective on December 31, 2024. This legislation provides access for under-age 65 dialysis [...]

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DPC Advocates for Dialysis Patients at National Conference of State Legislators Summit

2024-08-22T14:12:44+00:00August 8th, 2024|Categories: Article, Medigap Coverage, Protect Patient Care, State Advocacy|

State legislators from across the nation convened in Louisville, Kentucky August 5-8 for the 50th National Conference of State Legislators Summit. As part of DPCs ongoing work in the states, DPC was on hand to share our critically important work on access to affordable Medigap coverage. Megan Hashbarger, VP of Government Relations, Yolonda Brisbane, Grassroots Manager, and Elizabeth Lively, Eastern Region Advocacy Director attended the event. We heard so many stories from interested state legislators who either a family member or friend dealing with kidney disease issues. Legislators from Arkansas, California, Georgia, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma and [...]

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State Advocacy Update – Council of State Governments Meetings

2024-07-25T17:45:31+00:00July 25th, 2024|Categories: Advance Patient Choice, Article, Improve Access to Care, Increase Quality of Care, Medigap Coverage, News, Policy Issues, Promote Financial Security, Protect Patient Care, State Advocacy|

DPC’s two State Advocacy Directors have been busy advocating for dialysis patients this summer. Pamela Zielske, DPC’s Western Region Advocacy Director, attended the 77th Council of State Governments Annual Meeting in Portland, Oregon earlier this month. The event provided an outstanding opportunity to cultivate relationships with state legislators and attend policy sessions and legislative learning labs, including one hosted by Fresenius Medical Care on Improving Equity and Health Outcomes in Kidney Health Care. With legislators in attendance from 13 western states, the CSG West Meeting was a tremendous opportunity to elevate our advocacy work on behalf of dialysis patients with [...]

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Action Alert: H.R. 5027/S. 4469 – The Chronic Kidney Disease Improvement in Research and Treatment Act

2024-06-27T14:07:34+00:00June 25th, 2024|Categories: Article, Improve Access to Care, Increase Quality of Care, Medigap Coverage, Promote Financial Security, Quality Incentive Program, Take Action|

The Chronic Kidney Disease Improvement in Research and Treatment Act (H.R. 5027/S. 4469) sets the stage for the future of kidney care. Representatives Carol Miller (R-WV) and Terri Sewell (D-AL)  re-introduced the bill in the House of Representatives on July 28, 2023 and Senators Ben Cardin (D-MD) and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) re-introduced the bill in the Senate on June 5, 2024. If passed, this legislation would improve efforts to prevent and better understand chronic kidney disease (CKD) by ensuring appropriate reimbursement for quality care and improve patient access to the best drugs, technology and innovations along the kidney care continuum. One [...]

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DPC Asks Medicare Officials to Reverse Pruritis Drug Fiasco

2024-06-27T14:45:47+00:00June 12th, 2024|Categories: Advance Patient Choice, Article, Increase Quality of Care, Innovation, Protect Patient Care, Treatment Options|

In a letter to the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Dialysis Patient Citizens (DPC) asked for a “do-over” in the rollout of Korsuva, a drug that treats ESRD-related pruritis. Medicare makes an add-on payment for new drugs that expires after two years, leaving uncertainty about how providers can offer such drugs to patients when that period ends. This uncertainty discouraged nephrologists from prescribing the medication. Empirical research has found a prevalence of moderate to severe pruritis among dialysis patients of 33 percent, but Korsuva has been dispensed to fewer than one percent of patients. In the letter, several DPC [...]

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DPC’s 2024 Advocacy Day

2024-05-23T14:34:34+00:00May 20th, 2024|Categories: Advance Patient Choice, Article, Get Involved, Improve Access to Care, Increase Quality of Care, Medigap Coverage, News, Patient Ambassadors, Private Insurance Coverage, Promote Financial Security, Protect Patient Care|

Earlier this month, DPC hosted our annual Advocacy Day in Washington, D.C. where we bring together patients, family members, and care givers to meet with their Members of Congress to elevate the patient story for dialysis patients. This year we had 65 advocates attend, representing 25 states, who had almost 80 Congressional meetings. Our patients spoke to Congressional offices asking them to support H.R. 6860 – The Restore Protections for Dialysis Patients Act and H.R. 5027 – The Chronic Kidney Disease Improvement in Research and Treatment Act. These two bills would allow dialysis patients access to private insurance and Medigap [...]

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Pass Restore in ‘24

2024-05-23T14:33:35+00:00May 6th, 2024|Categories: Article, News, Private Insurance Coverage, Promote Financial Security|

Becky's daughter Dianne relied heavily on her insurance coverage that paid to treat all of her complications and extended her time with her two children. Becky's story is why Congressman Mike Kelly is fighting for the entire kidney community to ensure access to coverage for all dialysis patients. Thank you Rep. Kelly for your efforts to Pass Restore in '24. Learn more about Private Insurance Coverage and view the video.

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DPC Seeks Information on Patients’ Experience With Itching

2024-04-24T16:12:21+00:00April 24th, 2024|Categories: Advance Patient Choice, Article, Increase Quality of Care, Innovation, Medicare Advantage, Treatment Options|

A couple of years ago, a new drug was approved to treat ESRD-related pruritis. Medicare approved an additional payment for the drug Korsuva for a period of 2 years. But, because of the short expiration date, very few nephrologists prescribed the medication, so even fewer dialysis facilities dispensed the drug. As a result, Korsuva never took hold to become the standard of care for pruritis. We’d like to know (1) Have experienced pruritis? (2) If so, did your clinicians tell you about Korsuva? We would like to convey patients’ experiences as we ask for Medicare to revisit coverage: what it’s like [...]

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DPC Celebrates 20th Anniversary

2024-04-24T16:16:22+00:00April 1st, 2024|Categories: About DPC, Advance Patient Choice, Article, Get Involved, Improve Access to Care, Increase Quality of Care, Patient Ambassadors, Promote Financial Security, Protect Patient Care|

Since our founding 20 years ago, Dialysis Patient Citizens (DPC) has had the privilege of working with amazing advocates to help elevate the patient voice with policy makers to improve their quality of life. At our upcoming Advocacy Day Conference, May 5 – 7, 2024, we are excited to: honor the incredible work of our patient advocates; thank key Congressional Champions; and recognize some of our kidney community allies. Advocates from across the country will also take their stories to Capitol Hill to advocate for additional patient protections. To all of our patient advocates, family members, care partners, and kidney community [...]

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