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2023 State Advocacy Kick-Off

2024-03-29T01:09:19+00:00January 25th, 2023|Categories: Article, Medigap Coverage, News, State Advocacy, Transplant Donor Protection|

It’s been a busy start in 2023 for DPC’s state advocacy efforts. Bills impacting dialysis patients are being introduced in multiple state legislatures and moving quickly through the legislative process. Legislation to expand Medigap access has already been introduced in Hawaii, Indiana, Kentucky, Nebraska, and Virginia. Improving Medigap access is a top policy priority for DPC, and we are pleased that multiple states are considering how they can expand access to Medigap plans, particularly in states that have limited or no access to Medigap for the under-age 65 End State Renal Disease (ESRD) population. Hearings are scheduled in the coming days [...]

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Congressional Update

2024-03-29T01:09:19+00:00January 9th, 2023|Categories: Article, Medigap Coverage, Policy Issues|

The 118th Congress was sworn in earlier this month. It started off in historic fashion with a protracted fight on the House floor to elect a Speaker of the House, which Kevin McCarthy ultimately achieved on the 15th ballot. With Republicans controlling the House, and Democrats holding the White House and an expanded margin in the Senate, Congress will have to bridge the partisan gap to ensure the government remains open and in possession of its full faith and credit. Healthcare will of course be a major focus for the 118th Congress. At DPC will be working hard with our advocates [...]

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Welcome to the Board – Eugene Blankenship

2024-03-29T01:09:19+00:00December 22nd, 2022|Categories: Article, Board Members|

Eugene Blankenship has witnessed the struggles dialysis patients deal with for his entire life. Kidney disease runs in his family, and he lost both his father and grandfather to complications from kidney disease. Eugene was diagnosed with polycystic kidney disease himself while on a camping trip in 2003. Since then, he has devoted himself to helping others affected by kidney disease, first as a DPC patient advocate and now as a member of our Board of Directors. Most patients have limited access to their representatives in Congress, so Eugene wants to play a part in ensuring that every patient’s unique [...]

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Welcome to the Board – Terry Peeler

2024-03-29T01:09:19+00:00December 22nd, 2022|Categories: Article, Board Members|

Terry Peeler has devoted his life to public service, working for 25 years as a firefighter paramedic before kidney disease forced him to retire in October 2016. During his career in public service, Terry was appointed as the first African American full-time fire chief and paramedic in Sumter County, Alabama in 2000. He has also held roles as both Sumter County Coroner and Sumter County Sheriff. Having been used to serving others, the adjustment to needing assistance in his own care was a difficult shift. He now had to make a 72-mile round trip three times every week to undergo [...]

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Welcome to the Board – Steve Ahern

2024-03-29T01:09:19+00:00December 22nd, 2022|Categories: Blog, Board Members|

Steve has been a dialysis patient for over six years, having battled through heart stents and two bouts of lung cancer. He is honored to be a member of our board, and eager to continue focusing his efforts on making life for dialysis patients as fulfilling as possible. Steve’s battle with kidney disease took many unexpected turns but taught him the importance of perseverance and keeping a positive attitude in difficult times. In 2016 Steve became eligible for a transplant, thinking he’d receive a new kidney within the year. However, he developed lung cancer which made him ineligible for a transplant. [...]

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Welcome to the Board – Raymond Scott

2024-03-29T01:09:19+00:00December 22nd, 2022|Categories: Article, Board Members|

Raymond has been battling kidney failure for 22 years, and he credits the last eight of those to his home hemodialysis treatments. Raymond has a distinguished career as a dialysis and kidney disease advocate. Since his kidneys failed him at age 29, he has dedicated his life to helping others with kidney disease. In 2016 he was a Celebrity Star Dancer with the National Kidney Foundation’s Arizona Dancing With The Stars. Along with his beloved wife, Analyn, Raymond Co-founded 1in9 Charities, Inc, a nonprofit organization committed to creating hope and changing the trajectory of kidney disease. In 2019, Raymond and Analyn [...]

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Happy Thanksgiving from DPC Board, Staff, and Volunteers!

2024-03-29T01:09:20+00:00November 20th, 2022|Categories: Article|

DPC would like to wish our many patient advocates, family, friends, and healthcare partners a happy Thanksgiving. We are grateful for all of these hard-working individuals and for their dedication to the kidney community as well as their effort to help elevate the patient voice. This year, our patient advocates helped to defeat Proposition 29 in California; they continued to build momentum for Medigap expansion; and they are  fighting hard to protect patient choice and access to private health insurance coverage. Here are just a few of their stories: including videos that have reached more than 10 million individuals along [...]

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A Huge Thank You to Our Tireless Patient Advocates

2024-03-29T01:09:20+00:00October 26th, 2022|Categories: Article, News, Private Insurance Coverage, Protect Patient Care|

DPC would like to take a moment to thank our tireless group of Members and Patient Ambassadors for continuing to share their personal stories on the importance of supporting H.R. 8594/S. 4750 – The Restore Protections for Dialysis Patients Act. From drafting Letters to the Editor to recording video interviews, their words really highlight the need to allow kidney patients to decide which health insurance will best serve them and preserve patient choice. Allowing ESRD patients to stay on their private insurance plan for up to 30 months could help them cover the high costs of care, have access to transplant, [...]

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Open Enrollment Period – a good time to review your health insurance coverage

2024-03-29T01:09:21+00:00October 16th, 2022|Categories: Article, Medicaid, Medicare Advantage, News|

Medicare Open Enrollment began October 15 — and will remain open through December 7, 2022. Medicare’s Open Enrollment period gives people with Medicare the opportunity to make changes to their health plan or prescription drug plan, pick a Medicare Advantage plan, or return to Original Medicare (also referred to as Medicare Part A and Part B). Medicare plans can change their offerings and costs every year, and individuals’ health needs can change from year-to-year, too. Now is the time for people with Medicare to review their coverage options and make a choice that best meets their health care needs. The open [...]

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DPC Engaging State Policy Makers During Summer Months

2024-03-29T01:09:21+00:00September 20th, 2022|Categories: Article, Medigap Coverage, Promote Financial Security|

While most state legislatures are adjourned during the summer months, DPC’s state advocacy program, under the leadership of Eastern Advocacy Director Elizabeth Lively, is focused on keeping the dialog moving with state legislative policy makers. The critically important issue of affordable access to Medigap coverage for under age 65 individuals with End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) remains under discussion in a number of states during the summer months. Kentucky DPC is meeting with our legislative champions, the health plans and our coalition partners to prepare for the 2023 re-introduction of comprehensive Medigap legislation that was debated in 2022 (HB 430). [...]

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