Rep. Miller, Colleagues Send Letter to Medicare to Expand Access to Home Dialysis for Acute Kidney Injury Patients
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Congresswoman Carol Miller (R-WV) joined Representatives Suzan DelBene (D-WA), Tony Cárdenas (D-CA), and Larry Bucshon, M.D. (R-IN) in sending a bipartisan letter to Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator, Chiquita Brooks-LaSure to expand access to home dialysis for Americans who are at risk of kidney failure.
The letter also highlights the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to cover home dialysis for Medicare patients with acute kidney injury (AKI) in the final 2024 end-stage renal disease (ESRD) payment system rule. Home dialysis for AKI will allow patients to be in a comfortable setting to control their dialysis treatment schedule and environment.
Click here to read the full letter.
On urging CMS to expand access and cover home dialysis for Medicare patients with AKI:
Giving patients the option to receive dialysis at home can dramatically improve health outcomes and quality of life. Unfortunately, the U.S. ranks far behind other comparable countries in use of home dialysis. As you work to finalize the calendar year 2024 end-stage renal disease (ESRD) prospective payment system rule, we urge you to expand access to home dialysis for the millions of Americans who either have or are at risk of kidney failure. To advance that goal, we believe that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) should cover home dialysis for Medicare patients with acute kidney injury (AKI) if they are no longer hospitalized and have decided, along with their doctor, that home dialysis is the right choice for them as they attempt to regain kidney function.
On urging Medicare to cover both in-center and home dialysis for AKI patients:
Treatment of AKI often requires a hospital stay where patients receive dialysis in the hope that their kidneys will regain function. Many patients who are stable enough to leave the hospital still require dialysis. While Medicare covers both in-center and home dialysis for ESRD patients with kidney failure, in-center dialysis is the only option available for AKI patients, leaving thousands of patients per year without the option of home dialysis.
The technology and expertise currently exist to provide high-quality care to patients who wish to dialyze at home. Furthermore, many nephrologists and dialysis providers agree that supervised home therapies can be at least equivalent to in-center hemodialysis and in many cases more beneficial to patients’ health and quality of life. Therefore, we strongly urge Medicare to expand access to home dialysis, including for AKI patients. Increasing access and improving outcomes for AKI patients is especially important because these patients have the potential to recover kidney function and avoid permanent kidney failure requiring years of dialysis or transplant.
Background:
- Currently, Medicare covers in-center and home dialysis for patients with kidney failure, while AKI patients can only access in-center dialysis. Many AKI patients are left without the option to dialyze at home.
Congresswoman Miller has been a champion for kidney patients across West Virginia and the United States:
- Rep. Miller, Colleagues Introduce the Kidney PATIENT Act
- Miller, Sewell Introduce the Chronic Kidney Disease Improvement in Research and Treatment Act
- Op-Ed: We Must Help Improve the Outlook for Individuals Living with Chronic Kidney Disease
- Rep. Miller Attends Ribbon Cuttings' and Visits Fresenius Kidney Care Appalachian Dialysis Clinic in Beckley, WV
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