Policy and Politics News

On July 8, Representatives Jason Smith, R-Missouri, John Lewis, D-Ga., Gus Bilirakis, R-Fla., and Kurt Schrader, D-Ore., introduced legislation that would give end-stage renal disease patients the choice to enroll in Medicare Advantage plans.  H.R. 5659, the "Expanding Seniors Receiving Dialysis’ Choice Act of 2016," or ESRD Choice Act, would remove current government rules and restrictions preventing ESRD patients from accessing the plans.

United Healthcare, the largest insurer in the country, filed a lawsuit against American Renal Associates on July 1, charging that the country’s fifth largest provider convinced Medicaid patients to switch to more lucrative commercial insurance plans that paid the provider thousands of dollars more.

Clinics would see a small increase next year in payment for dialysis services under a proposed rule released by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services on June 24. The rule also proposes new quality measures for Medicare's Quality Incentive Program for the payment years 2018-2020.

The White House will host an Organ Summit. At the summit, the administration and private entities will announce a new set of actions that will build on the administration’s previous accomplishments to improve outcomes for individuals waiting for organ transplants and improve support for living donors. This event will be webcast live at www.whitehouse.gov/live. The event will take place Monday, June 13, from 10:30 am-12:30 pm EDT.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services had limited success in keeping small dialysis providers and payers at the table in two previous demonstration projects looking at alternative payment models. But with the new Comprehensive ESRD Care demonstration, it’s not throwing in the towel again.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Innovation Center announced a request for applications (RFA) for a second round of participants for the Comprehensive ESRD Care (CEC) Model. ESRD Seamless Care Organizations (ESCOs) that are accepted through this second application round will begin the model in January 2017.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has released the first round of details on its new physician payment plan starting in 2019.

The Conferences Committee for the 47th ANNA National Symposium, the ANNA Research Committee, and the ANNA Specialty Practice Leaders have accepted the following abstract submitted for the 2016 National Symposium in Louisville, KY.

Is the future here now for providing optimal treatment for patients with kidney disease?  Integrated care holds a lot of promise for nephrology. But there is still work to do.

Additional stars in the rating system for dialysis facilities may not reflect increases in quality of care, according to an analysis presented at the National Kidney Foundation 2016 Spring Clinical Meetings.