Category Archives: Medicare

Dialysis and Ratings

Posted on August 5, 2014 by DevonTexas

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

Dialysis and Disagreement

Posted on August 4, 2014 by DevonTexas

Repost from a while back but still relevant. I got the following comment the other day in response to my blog posting “Dialysis and Opening Day”.  I figured I’d share it with you because, although it’s rather bitter, it makes … Continue reading →

Posted in customer service, ESRD, Medicare, patient care, Patient-Centered Care | Tagged , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Dialysis and Kidney Care Bill

Posted on July 10, 2014 by DevonTexas

A bill has been entered into the House of Representatives that is extremely important to all of us kidney and dialysis patients.   According to the Dialysis Patient Citizen: This bill seeks to advance several proactive kidney care policy initiatives … Continue reading →

Posted in dialysis, Dialysis Patient Citizens, DPC, ESRD, Insurance, lobbying, Medicare, patient care, thankful, thoughts, World Kidney Day | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Dialysis and Washington, DC

Posted on April 21, 2014 by DevonTexas

(I apologize that this is over a month old and I and  I am just now posting it!  Frankly, I thought I had finished it but obviously I didn’t!)  As you may know I was in DC for the Fly-in … Continue reading →

Posted in CMS, dialysis, Dialysis Patient Citizens, disability, ESRD, kidney, lobbying, Medicare, National Kidney Foundation. NKF, patient care, politics, social networking, thoughts, World Kidney Day | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Dialysis and Good News

Posted on April 3, 2014 by DevonTexas

It’s almost rare nowadays that we get some good news from Congress but here’s some news that a bill signed by the President grants dialysis facilities and pharmaceutical providers some stability in what they’ll be reimbursed for kidney patients.   … Continue reading →

Posted in Access, activism, Dialysis Patient Citizens, DPC, ESRD, friendship, kidney, lobbying, Medicare, World Kidney Day | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Dialysis and NPR

Posted on March 27, 2014 by DevonTexas

While I was in Washington, DC for the Dialysis Patient Citizen fly-in, National Public Radio’s Ailsa Chang did an interview with me while reporting on “Access to Your Congressman”.  It was a great opportunity to get the word out about … Continue reading →

Posted in Access, Affordable Care Act, Dialysis Patient Citizens, kidney, lobbying, Medicare, Uncategorized, World Kidney Day | Tagged , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Dialysis and Amazing

Posted on March 10, 2014 by DevonTexas

You’re not going to believe this but CMS/Medicare withdrew their proposed changes to Medicare Part D drug coverage for post-transplant patients.  Is that amazing or what?!  I don’t know if it was the actual intervention by the dialysis/transplant community or … Continue reading →

Posted in AAKP, activism, CMS, Dialysis Patient Citizens, ESRD, lobbying, Medicare, National Kidney Foundation. NKF, politics, social networking, World Kidney Day | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Dialysis Center Ratings

Posted on February 26, 2014 by DevonTexas

Yay!  I found a GREAT site that allows us patients to rate our dialysis center!  I’ve threatened for a couple years to develop a website where WE, the Patients, can provide some feedback about our centers and HERE it is! … Continue reading →

Posted in dialysis, Dialysis Center, ESRD, kidney, Medicare, patient care | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Post-transplant Medications are in Danger!

Posted on February 18, 2014 by DevonTexas

In an article titled “Access to Immunosuppressive Drugs under Medicare Part D is at Risk“, the National Kidney Foundation writes about another issue to which we all need to respond.  Last time at was CMS proposed 12 percent cuts to Dialysis … Continue reading →

Posted in CMS, dialysis, ESRD, kidney, lobbying, Medicare, National Kidney Foundation. NKF, politics | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Dialysis and CMS Cuts (Update 12/3)

Posted on December 3, 2013 by DevonTexas

The Final CMS decision about the cuts to dialysis providers is out and Dialysis Patient Citizens has posted about it. To see what DPC wrote about the decision CLICK HERE. To join DPC click on their Home Page and then … Continue reading →

Posted in CMS, dialysis, Dialysis Patient Citizens, DPC, lobbying, Medicare | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment