NKC Key Messages about the Bundling Proposal

Northwest Kidney Centers input to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services will include the following points:

1. We thank CMS (Medicare) for choosing a “treatment” for bundle payment, just like the current method for payment. As well, it is good that payment may be made for more than three hemodialysis treatments/week with medical justification. More dialysis is better. We thank CMS for not including the costs of nephrology care and hospital care in the bundled treatment.

2. Laboratory tests are vital to a dialysis patient’s health. Please only include in the bundle the lab tests which absolutely must be associated with dialysis care and make sure there is enough money in the bundle payment based on current and accurate costs of these services.

3. Oral drugs from a pharmacy, like phosphate binders, are critical for good health. Do not include these drugs in the bundle as they can be expensive and are now covered under Medicare Part D.

4. All patients need the options of home therapy. Medicare should fund the training for patients to learn how to safely go home, wherever they are in their dialysis journey.


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