Health Reform Implementation Continues at the State Level

2024-03-29T02:09:01+00:00October 11th, 2012|Categories: Access to Transplant, Blog, Immunosuppressive Drug Coverage, State Advocacy|

By Carrie L., Director of Congressional and State Relations I have the unenviable job of trying to make state health reform both easy to understand and interesting, but I have given it my best shot. In this article I will be discussing two topics that are important for kidney disease patients, essential health benefit benchmark plans and the formation of state-based health insurance exchanges. State governments and health reform boards have been busy over the past couple of months determining how they will deal with implementing the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in their states. Deadlines have come and gone for [...]

DPC Urges Nevada Commission of Insurance to Not Make Cuts for Patients’ Modality, Transportation, Care and Treatment

2024-03-29T02:09:01+00:00September 27th, 2012|Categories: Access to Transplant, Comment Letter, Immunosuppressive Drug Coverage, Improve Access to Care, State Advocacy, Transplant Donor Protection, Treatment Options|

Scott J. Kipper Commissioner of Insurance State of Nevada 1818 E. College Parkway, Suite 103 Carson City, NV 89706 Dear Commissioner Kipper: As America’s largest patient-led organization representing dialysis patients, 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 nearly 3,000 dialysis patients in Nevada to make sure that their health and interests are represented in the State’s essential health benefits plan. DPC is committed to improving patient health and quality of life and to that end, there are several important benefits [...]

A Recent Meeting with CMMI

2024-03-29T02:09:01+00:00September 11th, 2012|Categories: Blog, Care Coordination, Innovation, Promote Financial Security|

By Jessica N., Director of Public Affairs Hi, my name is Jessica and I am the Director of Public Affairs for Dialysis Patient Citizens. That means I create and coordinate the communications that come out of the DPC office, including the Patient Citizen that is on its way to your mailbox. I also work with our policy team on federal initiatives that impact dialysis patients, including changes to Medicare, the “bundle” and QIP and efforts to make sure all of you can take advantage of new policies put in place through health reform. Because my work at DPC is different [...]

DPC Comments on the Creation of Nephrology Specific Integrated Care Pilot Projects

2024-03-29T02:09:25+00:00September 5th, 2012|Categories: Care Coordination, Comment Letter, Innovation|

Dialysis Patient Citizens (DPC) appreciates the opportunity to engage in ongoing dialogue and the continuous ability to provide feedback to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) on issues related to the improvement of care for chronic disease (CKD) patients. In our July 23, 2012 letter to CMMI leadership, we proposed several initiatives to consider as integrated care projects are considered. To further enhance our earlier statements, we have included timely data from our nationwide survey of patients with end stage renal disease (ESRD). For clarity, the following list includes the primary [...]

DPC’s Letter to Daniel Farmer of the Stakeholder Engagement Group at CMMI

2024-03-29T02:09:25+00:00July 23rd, 2012|Categories: Care Coordination, Comment Letter, Innovation|

Daniel Farmer Stakeholder Engagement Group Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) 7500 Security Boulevard Baltimore, MD 21244 Dear Mr. Farmer: Dialysis Patient Citizens (DPC) appreciates the opportunity to provide ongoing feedback from the patient prospective to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) on issues related to the improvement of care for chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients. We applaud the mission of the department and your role in shaping healthcare through the identification of new delivery and payment options and the promotion of best [...]

DPC Encourages New York State Office of Health Insurance Plans to Reinstate Coverage of Oral Nutritional Supplements

2024-03-29T02:09:25+00:00July 10th, 2012|Categories: Comment Letter, Medicaid, State Advocacy|

Dr. Jonathan Curtin, Medical Director NYS Department of Health Division of OHIP Operations Office of Health Insurance Programs 150 Broadway Albany, NY 12204 Jonathan Bick, Acting Director NYS Department of Health Division of OHIP Operations Office of Health Insurance Programs 150 Broadway Albany, NY 12204 RE: Medicaid Coverage of Enteral Nutritional Supplements Dear Dr. Curtin and Acting Director Bick, Dialysis Patient Citizens (DPC), the nation’s largest patient-led organization representing dialysis patients, strives to improve the quality of life of all end stage renal disease (ESRD) patients through education and advocacy. We are writing today on behalf of the 25,695 dialysis [...]

DPC Comments on MATP Co-payment

2024-03-29T02:09:26+00:00March 5th, 2012|Categories: Comment Letter, State Advocacy, Transportation Services|

March 5, 2012 Department of Public Welfare c/o Regulations Coordinator Room 515 Health and Welfare Building Harrisburg, PA 17120 RE: Proposed Co-payment for Medical Assistance Transportation Program To Whom It May Concern: As America’s largest patient-led organization representing dialysis patients, Dialysis Patient Citizens (DPC) works to improve the quality of life for all dialysis patients through advocacy and education. We are writing today on behalf of the over 14,000 dialysis patients in Pennsylvania, specifically those who utilize the State’s Medical Assistance Transportation Program (MATP). This program provides vital transportation for patients to and from dialysis treatments and adding a co-payment [...]

DPC Comments on Medicare Advantage Drive Times

2024-03-29T02:09:26+00:00February 24th, 2012|Categories: Comment Letter, Transportation Services|

February 24, 2012 Jonathan Blum Deputy Administrator and Director for the Center of Medicare Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Department of Health and Human Services Room 314G 200 Independence Avenue, SW Washington, DC 20201 Re: Time and Distance Criteria for Outpatient Dialysis Dear Mr. Blum: As the nation’s leading kidney disease and dialysis patient advocacy organizations, we appreciate the opportunity to provide comments on the recent changes to the Time and Distance Criteria for Outpatient Dialysis. Each year in the United States, more than 100,000 Americans are diagnosed with end stage renal disease (ESRD), an irreversible condition which is fatal [...]

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