Policy and Politics News

Members of the U.S. Senate have introduced legislation that will give federal officials the ability to revamp the organ procurement process, including offering more access to information about the national waitlist to potential recipients.

The American Kidney Fund has commended Kentucky for enacting H.B. 345, a law that expands Medigap access to some patients who are younger than 65 years, according to the press release.

AUSTIN, Texas — In the keynote presentation at the National Kidney Foundation Spring Clinical Meetings, Lilia Cervantes, MD, detailed a framework for advocacy in the kidney community and called upon nephrologists to take action.

Despite complaints by some dialysis providers that Medicare payments for treatments are “woefully inadequate,” a Congressional advisory panel concluded that no additional increase beyond current recommendations is needed for 2024.

A coalition of U.S. legislators has drafted a bill that would tie annual changes in Medicare physician reimbursement to inflation as measured by the Medicare Economic Index.

NEW ORLEANS — In this interview from the Renal Physicians Association Annual Meeting, Robert Blaser discusses how recent data on clinical labor costs impacted pay cuts for in-office procedures in 2023.

NEW ORLEANS — In this interview from the Renal Physicians Association Annual Meeting, Robert Blaser discusses changes to the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule for 2023.

NEW ORLEANS — CMS is optimistic that results from its Kidney Care Choices model will show improved outcomes and cost savings to the Medicare program when completed in 2026, according to a speaker here.

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Advocacy groups succeeded at placing kidney disease front-and-center on the roadmap to legislative support in Washington, but more improvements are needed, according to presenters at the Southwest Nephrology Conference.

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Lack of standardized labels for marijuana products in the United States can lead to poor kidney outcomes, according to a presenter at the Southwest Nephrology Conference.