Policy and Politics News

On July 6, CMS issued a proposed rule for the End-stage Renal Disease Prospective Payment System, which expands its transitional add-on payment adjustment for innovative dialysis equipment and supplies, focusing on items for home use.

California voters will likely decide on Nov. 3 whether a physician needs to be present during all dialysis treatments in an outpatient clinic operating in the state.

A study of graft loss in black and white kidney transplant recipients in the U.S. Military Health System suggested broader implementation of a universal health care model could lessen racial disparities in outcomes after transplant.

Including adjustments for major complicating comorbidities in Medicare reimbursement policies for kidney transplantation could incentivize centers to utilize high risk kidneys, thereby increasing the number of transplants performed.

A study conducted in the United Kingdom revealed that racial minorities and patients of lower socioeconomic status were less likely to be waitlisted for kidney transplantation, despite its universal health care system.

In a published paper, researchers argued that undocumented immigrants with kidney failure are presented with unique risks during the COVID-19 pandemic as they attempt to obtain necessary dialysis treatments.

HHS has deployed 50 Tablo portable kidney dialysis machines and supplies to New York City and Long Island ICUs caring for patients with COVID-19 who have also experienced acute kidney injury, according to an agency press release.

The National Kidney Foundation is investigating decisions by some health systems to use state emergency preparedness policies to create protocols that place patients on dialysis who are diagnosed with COVID-19 toward the bottom of the list of priorities for ventilators if these machines become in short supply.

SCOTTSDALE, Arizona — Many barriers stand in the way of decisions regarding home dialysis therapies, but if nephrologists individualize modality options for patients based on their current needs and goals, there is a better likelihood that patients will succeed on dialysis, a speaker said during the Southwest Nephrology Conference held here.

HHS released an updated interim final rule on March 30 that will reimburse nephrologists and physician practice staff for all telehealth visits for patients in dialysis clinics and at home. Visits with patients via telephone are also now reimbursed, with payment based on the length of the call.