Health Insurance Exchange Archives - Dialysis Patient Citizens

DPC Advocates for Patient Access to Private Health Insurance
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DPC Advocates for Patient Access to Private Health Insurance

Hannah Bracamonte2024-03-29T01:13:33+00:00October 30th, 2019|Categories: Article, Dialysis Funding, Improve Access to Care, Legal Defense, Private Insurance Coverage, Promote Financial Security|Tags: Health Insurance Exchange|

DPC filed an amicus brief in support of a lawsuit to protect patient access to private health insurance coverage. This is one of a number of lawsuits challenging discrimination by employer health plans in how they pay for dialysis. End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) patients are protected by the Medicare Secondary Payer Act (MSP), which permits ESRD patients to remain on their private health insurance plans for 30 months before they must enroll in Medicare. To protect this right from being chipped away, Congress prohibited health plans from making any distinctions in how they cover dialysis relative to how other treatments or diseases are [...]

Happy Holidays and DPC’s Top 10 Accomplishments of 2018
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Happy Holidays and DPC’s Top 10 Accomplishments of 2018

Hannah Bracamonte2024-03-29T01:13:36+00:00December 19th, 2018|Categories: Advance Patient Choice, Article, Care Coordination, Charitable Premium Assistance, Dialysis Funding, Get Involved, Medicare Advantage, Medigap Coverage, Take Action, Transplant Donor Protection|Tags: Health Insurance Exchange|

Dialysis Patient Citizens wants to wish you and your family a Happy Holiday, as well as a safe and healthy New Year. We also want to take this opportunity to share with you our Top 10 list of accomplishments for 2018, which would not have been possible without your support. Thank you for helping us elevate the dialysis patient voice with policy makers. We are extremely grateful for all of your efforts, and we look forward to our continued collaboration in 2019 as we work together to improve dialysis patient quality of life.

DPC Supports Improved Access to Private Insurance for Patients
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DPC Supports Improved Access to Private Insurance for Patients

Hannah Bracamonte2024-03-29T01:13:38+00:00August 22nd, 2018|Categories: Access to Transplant, Article, Comment Letter, Dental Coverage, Private Insurance Coverage|Tags: Health Insurance Exchange|

Currently, dialysis patients are restricted to 30 months on private insurance coverage before having to go into Medicare. The House of Representatives recently proposed extending this length of time by three months, which is estimated to save Medicare $344 million. Access to private insurance is critical for dialysis patients, and we are very appreciative of the House’s efforts to improve that access. Read our letter below in support of this proposal: Dear Leader McConnell, Minority Leader Schumer, Chairman Hatch, and Ranking Member Wyden: As America’s largest patient-led kidney disease organization representing over 30,000 dialysis patients and family members, Dialysis Patient [...]

Protecting Dialysis Patients’ Health Coverage

Hannah Bracamonte2024-03-29T01:13:41+00:00January 9th, 2017|Categories: Access to Transplant, Blog, Care Coordination, Charitable Premium Assistance, Legal Defense, Medigap Coverage|Tags: Health Insurance Exchange|

By Hrant Jamgochian, CEO Dialysis Patient Citizens Across the country, thousands of patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) face the agonizing choice of paying for necessities such as rent and food, or paying the insurance premiums that enable them to get dialysis and other critical care. Fortunately, ESRD patients have options. Thanks to federal law, they can enroll in Medicare at any age. Or, if they would rather keep a private insurance plan, they can apply for financial help from charities such as the American Kidney Fund. These payments are a lifeline that enables patients to maintain their existing coverage and [...]

DPC Submits Comments to CMS’ Request for Information

Hannah Bracamonte2024-03-29T01:13:42+00:00October 13th, 2016|Categories: Advance Patient Choice, Charitable Premium Assistance|Tags: Health Insurance Exchange|

In late August, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) placed a Request for Information about insurance steering and the use of third-party payments for insurance premiums. DPC has consistently advocated for patient choice in regards to insurance plans, we believe patients have the right to choose an insurance plan that works best with their health needs and desired outcomes. DPC submitted comments in response to this request emphasizing the increased benefits some exchange plans offer to dialysis patients as opposed to traditional Medicare. In addition to submitting formal comments, DPC has created a dedicated “Patient Assistance” information page where you can find press [...]

DPC Responds to CMS’ Request for Information

Hannah Bracamonte2024-03-29T01:50:28+00:00August 19th, 2016|Categories: Advance Patient Choice, Article, Charitable Premium Assistance|Tags: Health Insurance Exchange|

If anyone doesn’t know why the public is fed-up with our government, all they need to do is look at yesterday’s RFI on third party payment, which can best be summarized as “politics as usual” and big insurance dictating its own agenda. The former CMS Administrator – who is now the nation’s leading lobbyist for the insurance industry – appears to be getting the Agency to prioritize her new employer’s desires over the needs of the nation’s most vulnerable patients. To put even more pressure on the Obama Administration, Aetna just threatened to pull out of even more health insurance exchanges if it doesn’t get [...]

DPC Urges CMS to Prioritize Patient Access

Hannah Bracamonte2024-03-29T01:50:30+00:00January 19th, 2016|Categories: Access to Transplant, Care Coordination, Charitable Premium Assistance, Medicare Advantage, Medigap Coverage, Transportation Services|Tags: Health Insurance Exchange|

Last month, DPC sent a letter commenting on the “Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters for 2017” proposed rule. This annual rule by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) contains proposed changes to the exchange plan coverage of the Affordable Care Act. DPC’s letter focuses on the importance of insurance coverage and network quality for end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients. One issue the letter comments on pertains to network adequacy. Network adequacy describes an insurance plan’s ability to provide a sufficient amount of in-network providers to subscribers in the plan. Suggestions to improve network adequacy include requiring all [...]

RE: CMS–9937–P: Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act; HHS Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters for 2017

Hannah Bracamonte2024-03-29T01:50:31+00:00December 21st, 2015|Categories: Advance Patient Choice, Charitable Premium Assistance, Comment Letter, Improve Access to Care|Tags: Health Insurance Exchange|

Andrew Slavitt Acting AdministratorCenters for Medicare and Medicaid Services 7500 Security BoulevardBaltimore, MD 21244RE: CMS–9937–P: Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act; HHS Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters for 2017Dear Acting Administrator Slavitt,On behalf of the more than 430,000 patients who rely upon dialysis services, we appreciate the opportunity to comment on the “Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act; HHS Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters for 2017” Proposed Rule (Proposed Rule). We strongly encourage the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to protect the rights of all Americans to access coverage in the Marketplaces, consistent with the Affordable Care [...]

DPC and Patient Advocates Win Oregon Ruling on Discriminatory Insurance Practices

Hannah Bracamonte2024-03-29T01:50:31+00:00November 9th, 2015|Categories: Article, Legal Defense, Promote Financial Security, State Advocacy|Tags: Health Insurance Exchange|

DPC and kidney advocates won a ruling from the Oregon insurance commissioner against discriminatory language in an insurance policy limiting coverage for ESRD patients. Bob Lee, a DPC Patient Ambassador and ESRD patient, and Hrant Jamgochian, Executive Director of DPC, attended a public hearing on the topic in Salem and presented testimony on behalf of DPC’s membership. The insurance commissioner ruled: Insurers are prohibited from discriminating based on health factors. Insurers may not require enrollment in Medicare, regardless of member entitlement or eligibility. Insurers providing information to members regarding Medicare benefits must ensure the information provided is factual. Insurer communication [...]

DPC Urges Department of Insurance to Protect Dialysis Patient Access in Oregon
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DPC Urges Department of Insurance to Protect Dialysis Patient Access in Oregon

Hannah Bracamonte2024-03-29T01:50:31+00:00October 26th, 2015|Categories: Comment Letter, Private Insurance Coverage, Promote Financial Security, State Advocacy|Tags: Health Insurance Exchange|

Ms. Laura Cali, Insurance Commissioner Department of Consumer & Business Services Insurance Division PO Box 14480 Salem, Oregon 97309-0405 Re: Discrimination against end-stage renal disease patients by Regence health plan Dear Commissioner Cali: With 28,000 dialysis patient members, Dialysis Patient Citizens (DPC) is the nation’s largest patient-led organization representing individuals with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). I am writing on behalf of Oregon’s 3,821 dialysis patients, asking that you ensure that they are treated equitably by the Regence health insurance plan. Regulatory filings by this issuer indicate that its 2016 plan designs are incentivizing disenrollment of ESRD patients in favor of enrolling [...]

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