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DPC Opposes California Prop 23 which Threatens Patient Access to Care

2024-03-29T01:12:01+00:00October 19th, 2020|Categories: Article, State Advocacy|

Voting is already underway in several states, including California which has a statewide ballot initiative concerning dialysis patients. Proposition 23, as it is known, is another proposed ballot initiative by a labor union following a similar ballot dispute in 2018, which was defeated by a wide voter margin.  Rather than focus on profit-caps again, this initiative would impose stricter regulations on dialysis clinics. Prop 23 would require a licensed physician (or a nurse practitioner or physician assistant, if an exemption is granted because of the ongoing physician shortage) to be on-site at dialysis clinics whenever patients are dialyzing. It would [...]

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OP-ED: New bill would help improve care for dialysis patients

2024-03-29T01:12:02+00:00October 7th, 2020|Categories: Patient Stories in the News|

My daughter’s kidneys failed when she was just 23 years old, marking the beginning of a long and difficult path on dialysis. Her treatments were incredibly straining and gradually weakened her until, about ten years ago, she had to undergo open-heart surgery because of the stress her dialysis treatments put on her circulatory system. Throughout the entire process, though, we were fortunate to work with a great medical team. My daughter’s nephrologist also handles her primary care, and works closely alongside her cardiologist to share information about her appointments and ensure that their treatments do not interfere with each other. [...]

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Action Alert – Secure Kidney Patient Access to Immunosuppressive Medications

2024-03-29T01:12:02+00:00October 5th, 2020|Categories: Article, Immunosuppressive Drug Coverage, Take Action|

The Comprehensive Immunosuppressive Drug Coverage for Kidney Transplant Patients Act (H.R. 5534, S. 3353) is gaining momentum in Congress. The bill was voted out of the Energy and Commerce Committee, and has over 100 cosponsors in the House and over 20 cosponsors in the Senate. We need you to help us press for passage by contacting your Members of Congress today. This bill was introduced by Representatives Ron Kind (D-WI) and Michael Burgess (R-TX), as well as Senators Bill Cassidy (R-LA) and Dick Durbin (D-IL). This legislation would extend Medicare coverage of immunosuppressive drugs beyond the current limit of 36 [...]

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Change is Hard – Benefits of Care Coordination vs. the Status Quo

2024-03-29T01:12:02+00:00September 30th, 2020|Categories: Patient Stories in the News|

For many patients, adjusting to life with kidney disease means change. From new diet restrictions to multiple weekly dialysis treatments, being diagnosed with kidney disease can create a sudden and difficult shift in a person’s daily lifestyle. Unfortunately, for many patients on dialysis these changes are made all the more challenging by a lack of a truly cohesive, coordinated treatment plan. Instead, patients find themselves juggling appointments, medications, and more that force them into duplicative appointments and drive up their health care costs because there is not a system in place for their doctors to easily and proactively share information [...]

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New Bill Would Help Struggling Dialysis Patients

2024-03-29T01:12:02+00:00September 30th, 2020|Categories: Care Coordination, Patient's Voice, Spotlight|

By Dortha Pugh-Thompson, DPC Patient Ambassador When my doctor told me I had kidney disease, I wasn’t aware of just how serious it was. Two years later, though, I passed out and woke up in the emergency room, where doctors said I was experiencing both kidney failure and heart failure. Shortly after, I started dialysis. Fortunately, I was able to do in-home dialysis and remain active in my community and my church. Now, even after receiving a transplant, I’ve found my calling as an advocate for dialysis patients, and I am passionate about helping others through their treatments. ​Over the [...]

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CMS Announces Penalties and Rewards for Promoting Home Dialysis and Transplants

2024-03-29T01:12:02+00:00September 22nd, 2020|Categories: Access to Transplant, Article, Dialysis Funding, Transplant Donor Protection, Treatment Options|

On September 18, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced it finalized the End-Stage Renal Disease Treatment Choices (ETC) Model. The ETC Model was a cornerstone of President Trump’s Advancing Kidney Health Executive Order in 2019. It encourages an increased use of home dialysis and kidney transplants in approximately 30 percent of dialysis facilities and nephrology practices and will be implemented on January 1, 2021. CMS estimated reduced expenditures of $23 million over five and a half years, anticipating that providers assigned to the program will be penalized for not meeting standards. DPC and many other kidney groups opposed this [...]

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DPC Hosts Successful Virtual Patient Advocacy Day

2024-03-29T01:12:02+00:00September 20th, 2020|Categories: Article, Care Coordination, Medigap Coverage, Take Action|

DPC patient activists and health care professionals from across the country met with Members of Congress and their legislative staff to advocate on behalf of dialysis patients during DPC’s Annual Advocacy Day on September 15, 2020. This was DPC's largest Annual Advocacy Day with representatives from 32 states and close to 200 virtual Congressional office meetings. It was also DPC's first virtual Advocacy Day due to the COVID-19 pandemic—all Congressional meetings were held via telephone. Advocates asked Congress to ensure all dialysis patients gain access to Medigap through passage of the Jack Reynolds Memorial Medigap Expansion Act. They also discussed the [...]

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Action Alert – Support Care Coordination for Dialysis Patients

2024-03-29T01:12:02+00:00September 17th, 2020|Categories: Article, Care Coordination, Take Action|

The BETTER Kidney Care Act (H.R. 8254/S. 4574) was recently introduced by Senators Young (R-IN) and Sinema (D-AZ), along with Representatives Blumenauer (D-OR) and Smith (R-MO). This bill would enhance access to care coordination services for thousands of patients across the United States currently living with End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD). It could also help with services not covered by Medicare such as dental care and transportation. Coordinated care is essential for improving the overall care and health of ESRD patients. Specifically, better care coordination could mean help for patients with: scheduling doctors’ appointments, reviewing their medication regime, dealing with dialysis [...]

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New bills offer opportunity to help Iowa dialysis patients

2024-03-29T01:12:02+00:00September 17th, 2020|Categories: Patient Stories in the News|

As we move toward the fall season, the COVID-19 pandemic still poses a major threat to people living here in Iowa, as well as others across the U.S. With public health still top-of-mind, it is important that we do everything we can to protect high-risk patients, especially those living with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). ESRD is a serious condition that requires patients to go through several hours-long dialysis treatments each week. The disease also compromises patients’ immune systems, which is particularly dangerous right now. For many ESRD patients, their risk is further heightened by the fact that they also have [...]

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