Dialysis Funding
With 82% of dialysis patients relying on Medicare, and nearly half of those patients also on Medicaid, the importance of adequate government funding for this life sustaining care cannot be overstated. In the meantime, Medicare now pays a single “bundled” rate for most dialysis services, including: dialysis center staff, dialysis machines, filters, injectable medications and soon, oral-only medications. As a result, any arbitrary cut can have a devastating impact on the quality of care patients receive, staffing at their facilities or even the ability of facilities to keep their doors open. DPC continues to be a strong advocate for Medicare (and all other payers) to cover the full cost of dialysis care.
Related Information
Medicare Policy Proposal Jeopardizes Care for Those on Dialysis
CEOs of 3 kidney care organizations explain flaws in CMS' recent reimbursement proposal. In recent years, lawmakers have turned their attention to advancing health equity and creating opportunities for the improvement of historically underserved communities—and [...]
Medicare Payment Rule for 2024 Shortchanges Dialysis Clinics on Rising Wages
As kidney and other healthcare providers face workforce shortages, inflation, and higher wage demands, the federal agency which oversees Medicare is proposing a mere 1.7% increase in dialysis reimbursements for 2024. According to the government’s [...]
Dialysis Patient Citizens Statement on New CMS Rule That Would Harm Patient Access to Care
WASHINGTON, D.C. (June 29, 2023) -- Dialysis Patient Citizens (DPC), the nation's largest dialysis patient advocacy organization, released the following statement regarding a new rule proposed by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) [...]
Medicare Proposes Small Pay Increase for Dialysis Facilities
On June 21, 2022, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a proposed rule to update payment rates and policies under the End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Prospective Payment System (PPS) for renal [...]
Supreme Court Erases Kidney Patients’ Insurance Protections
A U.S. Supreme Court ruling has nullified the law that protects dialysis patients from discrimination by insurers, threatening the system of financing kidney care that has stood for 40 years. The Court ruled that [...]
DPC Files Amicus Brief in Supreme Court Case
DPC filed a “friend of the court” brief in the U.S. Supreme Court case of Marietta Memorial Hospital v. DaVita. The case involves a dialysis patient whose employer-sponsored health insurance plan tied reimbursements for [...]
