Policy Issues Archives - Page 53 of 61 - Dialysis Patient Citizens

Medicare Ambulance Fraud in Los Angeles – A Specific Example

Hannah Bracamonte2024-03-29T02:08:05+00:00May 7th, 2014|Categories: Article, State Advocacy, Uncategorized|

The owners of Alpha Ambulance Inc. (Alpha), a now-defunct Los Angeles-area ambulance transportation company, have been sentenced in connection with a Medicare fraud scheme. Acting Assistant Attorney General David A. O’Neil of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney André Birotte Jr. of the Central District of California, Special Agent in Charge Glenn R. Ferry of the Los Angeles Region of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) and Assistant Director in Charge Bill L. Lewis of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office made the announcement. Aleksey Muratov, aka Russ Muratov, 32, and Alex [...]

Medicare Announces Revised ESRD Seamless Care Organization (ESCO) Program
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Medicare Announces Revised ESRD Seamless Care Organization (ESCO) Program

Hannah Bracamonte2024-03-29T02:08:05+00:00May 5th, 2014|Categories: Article, Care Coordination|

The ESCO is based on the Accountable Care Organization model, under which providers band together to improve care and share in any savings that result from avoiding costly complications. In the case of the ESCO, the care coordination teams would consist of dialysis providers, nephrologists and any new personnel, such as nurse case managers or health coaches, brought on to assist patients. An earlier version of the ESCO, announced last year, failed to garner sufficient interest among providers. In response to input from providers and patient advocates including DPC, Medicare officials altered the terms of the program to make participation, which [...]

The Senior Medicare Patrol Program Helps Medicare Beneficiaries Prevent, Detect, and Report Health Care Fraud

Hannah Bracamonte2024-03-29T02:08:05+00:00May 5th, 2014|Categories: Article, Promote Financial Security|

By Ginny Paulson, SMP Resource Center Director Medicare loses billions each year due to fraud, error, and abuse. This not only compromises the Medicare Trust Fund, but individual beneficiaries’ future benefits and health are placed at risk as well. This problem is being addressed at many levels of government, including the nationwide Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) program. SMPs work at the grass roots level in all 50 states plus Washington D.C., Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The SMP mission is to empower and assist Medicare beneficiaries, their families, and caregivers to prevent, detect, and report health care fraud, [...]

Re: Support for S.B. 403

Hannah Bracamonte2024-03-29T02:08:06+00:00May 1st, 2014|Categories: Charitable Premium Assistance, Comment Letter, State Advocacy|

Louisiana House Insurance Committee 900 North Third Street Baton Rouge, LA 70804 Re: Support for S.B. 403 Dear Chairman Cromer and Committee, As America’s largest patient-led organization representing over 27,000 members, Dialysis Patient Citizens (DPC) works to improve the quality of life of all dialysis patients through education and advocacy. Today we are writing on behalf of the over 6,000 dialysis patients in Louisiana to support S.B. 403, which allows third-party payments for premiums. BlueCross Blue Shield of Louisiana (BCBSLA) recently instituted a new policy of no longer accepting thirdparty payments for premiums. We believe this policy is detrimental to [...]

Re: Discrimination Against Dialysis Patients by BlueCross Blue Shield of Louisiana

Hannah Bracamonte2024-03-29T02:08:06+00:00April 8th, 2014|Categories: Charitable Premium Assistance, Comment Letter, State Advocacy|Tags: Health Insurance Exchange|

Phyllis Borzi, Assistant Secretary Employee Benefits Security Administration Department of Labor Washington, DC John P. Albert, Director Division of Medicare Secondary Payer Policy Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Baltimore, MD Re: Discrimination against dialysis patients by BlueCross Blue Shield of Louisiana Dear Ms. Borzi and Mr. Albert: As America’s largest patient-led organization representing over 27,000 members, Dialysis Patient Citizens (DPC) works to improve the quality of life of all dialysis patients through education and advocacy. Today we are writing on behalf of the over 6,000 dialysis patients in Louisiana to request inquiries into the new BlueCross Blue Shield of [...]

DPC Signs on to Letter Supporting Increased NIDDK Kidney Research Funding

Hannah Bracamonte2024-03-29T02:08:06+00:00April 4th, 2014|Categories: Comment Letter, Dialysis Funding|

Dialysis Reimbursements Stabilized by Protecting Access to Medicare Act

Hannah Bracamonte2024-03-29T02:08:06+00:00April 2nd, 2014|Categories: Article, Dialysis Funding, Immunosuppressive Drug Coverage|

This week President Obama signed the Protecting Access to Medicare Act, which contained some provisions favorable to dialysis patients. The primary purpose of the legislation was to stabilize Medicare payments to physicians, but Congress also used the opportunity to stabilize reimbursements to dialysis facilities. A large cut that had been scheduled to take effect in 2016 has been replaced by smaller, fixed-amount cuts that afford providers more certainty about revenues in coming years. This new payment formula will encourage providers to renew expiring leases on dialysis facilities and continue to invest in improved kidney care infrastructure. Another provision further delays addition [...]

DPC Advocates Fly to Washington for 2014 World Kidney Fly-in
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DPC Advocates Fly to Washington for 2014 World Kidney Fly-in

Hannah Bracamonte2024-03-29T02:08:06+00:00April 1st, 2014|Categories: Article, Dialysis Funding, Improve Access to Care, Promote Financial Security|Tags: Advocacy Day|

DPC advocates flew to Washington, DC for our 2014 World Kidney Day Fly-in. Twenty-six patients and family members were joined by 19 provider representatives from 24 states. Advocates conducted 94 meetings with Members of Congress and their staff. This year, we asked Congress to protect funding for the Medicare ESRD program and to open Medicare Part C to people on dialysis. Take a look at these pictures for the full story. The patients in the these pictures are our most active Patient Ambassadors. If you are interested in becoming a strong advocate for people with kidney disease, join the Patient Ambassador program! [...]

2014 World Kidney Day Fly-In

Hannah Bracamonte2024-03-29T02:08:06+00:00March 6th, 2014|Categories: Article, Medicare Advantage|Tags: Advocacy Day|

Dialysis Patient Citizens (DPC) will be hosting our annual World Kidney Day Fly-In from March 11 to March 13, 2014. Twenty-eight patients and family members from 23 states will arrive in Washington, DC to speak to nearly 100 Congressional offices about issues that affect people with kidney failure. In addition, the group will be joined by 17 dialysis facility professionals who will help amplify their message. The day prior to visiting Capitol Hill, participants will receive a comprehensive issue briefing and advocacy training from DPC staff. During this Fly-In we will be speaking with Congressional office staff about ensuring adequate funding [...]

DPC Urges Administration to Keep Dialysis Accessible in Obamacare Health Plans

Hannah Bracamonte2024-03-29T02:08:06+00:00March 6th, 2014|Categories: Article, Comment Letter, Transportation Services|

DPC recently urged the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to ensure that provider networks in new Affordable Care Act health plans offer convenient access to dialysis facilities. DPC told HHS that “since dialysis patients must typically undergo treatment three times per week, travel to and from a dialysis facility is far more burdensome than travel to physician offices or other sites of care that are visited less frequently. If a health plan limits its network to a single dialysis organization—as we fear some may do, in order to obtain lower prices—patients may not have access to the clinic [...]

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