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DPC Statement on Medicaid

2026-05-19T14:17:16+00:00May 18th, 2026|Categories: Article, Medicaid, News, Promote Financial Security|

May 18, 2026 Medicaid is not just a line item in a budget, it is a foundational pillar of health, dignity, and economic security for millions of Americans. It is a lifeline for our most vulnerable neighbors, including children, seniors, individuals with disabilities, and working families who deserve access to quality, affordable healthcare. Any attempt to cut, cap, or eliminate Medicaid funding is a direct threat to the well-being of our communities. Slashing this vital program doesn't reduce the need for healthcare; it simply shifts the burden. It forces families into devastating medical debt, strains local state budgets, and threatens the [...]

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DPC advises dialysis patients covered by Medicaid to update contact information

2024-03-29T01:09:17+00:00May 13th, 2023|Categories: Article, Medicaid|

Many states used additional federal funding to expand Medicaid enrollment during the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE), first declared by the US Department of Health and Human Services on January 31, 2020 and ending May 11, 2023. With the end of the PHE, many federal programs and funding – including the Medicaid continuous coverage requirement and accompanying federal funding – will be ending. While it is unlikely that dialysis patients who are covered by both Medicare and Medicaid (known as dual eligibles) will lose their Medicaid coverage, DPC is urging that they make sure the state has their current contact [...]

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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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Elevating Dialysis Patient Voices Bolsters State Advocacy Victories

2024-03-29T01:10:08+00:00April 27th, 2022|Categories: Access to Transplant, Article, Medicaid, Medicare Advantage, Medigap Coverage|

As many 2022 state legislative sessions are winding down or have recently wrapped-up, it is a good time to update DPC members on state legislation important to dialysis patients. The participation of our Patient Ambassadors in DPC’s advocacy efforts has been really beneficial in educating legislators to help them make more-informed decisions on legislation that impacts End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) patients. Improving access to affordable Medicare Supplemental Insurance (a.k.a., Medigap) plans is a top priority for DPC, and legislation was introduced in multiple states: Arizona, Kentucky, Louisiana, Nebraska, Maryland, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Wisconsin. Arizona, Kentucky, Nebraska, and [...]

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DPC’s Letter to Daniel Tsai, Deputy Administrator and Director of CMCS

2024-03-29T01:10:08+00:00April 21st, 2022|Categories: Medicaid, Medicare Advantage, Medigap Coverage|

Daniel Tsai, Deputy Administrator, and Director Center for Medicaid and CHIP Services Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services 7500 Security Boulevard Baltimore, MD  21244 Re:       Eligibility Redeterminations for Enrollees with Chronic Health Conditions Dear Mr. Tsai: When the Public Health Emergency ends and states resume making Medicaid eligibility redeterminations, up to 15 million enrollees are expected to lose their coverage. We are concerned that as many as one-quarter of those individuals may be receiving treatment for  chronic diseases, and that treatment might be interrupted by a lapse in insurance coverage. We are asking that CMS and the states make a special [...]

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DPC Urges Continuity of Care for Medicaid Enrollees with Chronic Health Conditions When Eligibility Redeterminations Resume

2024-03-29T01:10:08+00:00April 21st, 2022|Categories: Article, Medicaid, Protect Patient Care|

Two years ago, Congress mandated a pause on Medicaid eligibility redeterminations during the COVID Public Health Emergency. The emergency declaration is expected to end soon, and states will again require Medicaid enrollees prove their eligibility. As many as 15 million enrollees are expected to lose their coverage, mostly because they have accepted higher-paying jobs, but others may slip through the cracks due to address changes and the like. DPC has written to the federal Medicaid director asking that CMS and the states make a special effort to ensure continuity of coverage for patients with chronic diseases, such as CKD, hypertension, and [...]

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2021 Annual Survey Last Call!

2024-03-29T01:10:13+00:00August 26th, 2021|Categories: 5-Star Ratings, Access to Transplant, Article, Care Coordination, Charitable Premium Assistance, Dental Coverage, Dialysis Funding, Immunosuppressive Drug Coverage, Innovation, Medicaid, Medicare Advantage, Medigap Coverage, Patient's Voice, Protect Patient Care, Quality Incentive Program, Take Action, Transplant Donor Protection, Transportation Services, Treatment Options|Tags: |

24 hours remain to complete our survey. Make sure to complete your survey for a chance at one of 10 remaining $100 gift certificates. Our 2021 Annual Membership Survey is live, and it will remain open until Friday, August 27. Your feedback helps to shape our public policy agenda and patient education priorities for the next year. This year we ask that both patients and caregivers take our survey. Rest assured your responses will remain completely anonymous. We only share the overall survey results with state and federal level policy makers, so they will better understand your needs, experiences, and [...]

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CMS Proposes Changes to Medicare Payments for End-Stage Renal Disease

2024-03-29T01:10:14+00:00July 1st, 2021|Categories: Article, Improve Access to Care, Medicaid, Medicare Advantage, Quality Incentive Program|

On July 1, 2021, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued its ESRD Prospective Payment System (PPS) annual rulemaking. This proposed rule would update ESRD PPS payment rates, make changes to the ESRD Quality Incentive Program (QIP), and modify the ESRD Treatment Choices (ETC) Model for 2022. The proposed changes to the ETC Model policies aim to encourage dialysis providers to decrease disparities in rates of home dialysis and kidney transplants among ESRD patients with lower socioeconomic status, making the model the agency’s first CMS Innovation Center project to address health equity. The ETC model rewards ESRD facilities and [...]

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Stay Up-to-Date on the Latest Kidney Care News with DPC’s New “Patient Stories” Page

2024-03-29T01:10:15+00:00June 18th, 2021|Categories: Article, Medicaid, Patient's Voice, Promote Financial Security|

Dialysis Patient Citizens wants to make it easier for you to stay up-to-date with the latest Letters to the Editor and Op-Eds written by our members. Head over to our new Patient Stories page to hear these members’ stories and how upcoming bills, such as the Jack Reynolds Memorial Medigap Expansion Act and the BETTER Kidney Care Act, would provide much needed assistance to patients. Check Out the Patient Stories Page

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Recent Healthcare Activity Focuses on Social Determinants of Health

2024-03-29T01:12:01+00:00January 21st, 2021|Categories: Article, Increase Quality of Care, Medicaid, Medicare Advantage|

The past two years have seen a flurry of activity aimed at addressing "social determinants of health” (SDOH) that historically get short shrift in the health care system. SDOH refers to the range of social, environmental, and economic factors that can influence health status—conditions that can often have a greater impact on health outcomes than the actual delivery of health services. Last week, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued guidance to state health officials encouraging strategies in the Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) to improve health outcomes, reduce health disparities, and lower overall costs in Medicaid [...]

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