Category Archives: Medicare

Dialysis and Kidney Transplant

Posted on June 26, 2016 by

Okay ya’ll.  I’m going for the transplant. I signed up for the Transplant list with Harris Hospital in Fort Worth, Texas.  So, if you readers with two kidneys happen to be there….  LOL I’ll keep you informed as I venture … Continue reading →

Posted in A/V Fistula, Access, dialysis, Dialysis Center, Discharge Planning, ESRD, kidney, Medicare, Modalities, Modality, New Patient, Patient Responsibilities, planning, thankful, thoughts, Transplant | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Dialysis and Suriving Washington, DC

Posted on April 27, 2016 by

April 26, 2016: I survived! I’m at Reagan National Airport awaiting my flight home. There’s some question about the landing part as there are severe thunderstorms expected over Dallas tonight. We’ll see. I just want to get home. We got … Continue reading →

Posted in activism, Davita, dialysis, Dialysis Center, Dialysis Patient Citizens, DPC, ESRD, kidney, lobbying, Medicare, patient care, Patient-Centered Care, World Kidney Day | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

In Washington DC

Posted on April 25, 2016 by

For the fourth or fifth year, I’m in DC to lobby Congress on behalf of Dialysis patients as a member and Patient Ambassador with DPC (Dialysis Patient Citizens). You can help by calling or emailing your Representative and Senators and tell … Continue reading →

Posted in CKD, dialysis, Dialysis Patient Citizens, DPC, kidney, lobbying, Medicare, politics, Uncategorized, World Kidney Day | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Dialysis and Weight Loss – Part One

Posted on January 6, 2016 by

Okay, it’s it a new year and time for the resolutions and followup.   Many of us will resolve to reduce our weight.   In September of 2014, I did.  As of 1 January 2016, I’m 92.5 pounds reduced (not … Continue reading →

Posted in activism, CKD, cooking. cookbook, dialysis, diet, dry weight, ESRD, fluid control, Insurance, kidney, Kidney Diet, Kidney-friendly, Medicare, patient care, personal, recipes, Social Work, thankful, thoughts | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Dialysis and “Doc Fix”

Posted on April 15, 2015 by

Finally, after SEVENTEEN years, Congress has passed the “doc fix” bill to fill a hole they created in 1997. Read about it here…  From the DPC website, here’s the impact on dialysis patients based on the House version of the … Continue reading →

Posted in CMS, dialysis, Dialysis Center, Dialysis Patient Citizens, DPC, ESRD, kidney, lobbying, Medicare, politics, Social Work | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Dialysis and the 5-star @CMS Rating

Posted on February 13, 2015 by

Dialysis Patient Citizens recently reported on their efforts to respond to the CMS 5-star Rating System.  Under this system, the Mayo Clinic, for example, got a 1-star rating.  Obviously this is not a good measure of patient feelings or experience. … Continue reading →

Posted in CMS, Dialysis Center, Dialysis Patient Citizens, DPC, ESRD, lobbying, Medicare, ratings | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

NKF Responds to Medicare’s Proposed Changes to Payment and Quality Programs for Dialysis Facilities

Posted on October 23, 2014 by

Originally posted on Advocacy in Action:
Back in July we shared the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid’s (CMS) proposed changes to dialysis payment and quality incentive program.  After gathering input from kidney patients and professionals we issued formal comments to CMS, which…

Posted in AKF, CMS, dialysis, Dialysis Center, Dialysis Patient Citizens, ESRD, lobbying, Medicare, National Kidney Foundation. NKF | Leave a comment

Dialysis Centers and @CMS 5-star Rating

Posted on September 7, 2014 by

In a previous related post,  I promised I would post more about the Davita position on this when I got it.  So, here it is and it makes some good points.  “What’s Wrong With the 5-Star Rating System for the … Continue reading →

Posted in CMS, dialysis, Dialysis Center, Dialysis Patient Citizens, DPC, ESRD, kidney, lobbying, Medicare, politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Dialysis and Rationing

Posted on August 29, 2014 by

I originally published this post in January, 2013 but I had occasion to review it recently and decided to re-publish it.   There’s a great article in the Seattle Times that covers the history of dialysis.  The title is: “The … Continue reading →

Posted in dialysis, Medicare, Obamacare, patient care, Patient-Centered Care, Transplant | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Dialysis and Ratings

Posted on August 5, 2014 by

Recently Medicare/CMS rolled out a 5-star rating system for dialysis centers.   There’s some controversy brewing because some providers are not in favor of this. From the presentation that rolled it out… We’ve also used stars in the Medicare Advantage website for … Continue reading →

Posted in CMS, dialysis, ESRD, lobbying, Medicare, patient care, politics | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment