New Model Aims to Increase Home Dialysis and Kidney Transplants
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)launched theEndStage Renal Disease (ESRD) Treatment Choicesin Januarytoincrease the number of patients receivinghome dialysisortransplantation.
The new effort comes out of thegovernmentĢýs AdvancingAmericanKidney Health(AAKH)initiativeand these goals arestrongly supported by Ģý North America(FMCNA). The companyhasalreadysuccessfully worked to empower more patients to choose home therapies.
ĢýTheAdvancing American Kidney Health initiativeĢýhas an ambitious goal to see 80 percent of new ESRD patients either startĢýon home dialysis or receive a preemptive transplant by 2025,Ģý saidĢýDr. TerryKetchersid, Chief Medical Officer for FMCNAĢýs Integrated Care Group and co-CMO forInterWellHealth. ĢýWe understand the benefits for patients who choose home dialysisand have been working hard with our physician partners to empower even more patients to make this choice.Ģý
For this mandatory ETC model,ĢýĢýrandomly selected nephrologist practices and dialysis centers based on their location within certain hospital referral regions. 30 percent of these referral regions across the country will participate in the six-and-a-half-year model which runs through the middle of 2027.
The ETC model aimstoadjust payments to providers and nephrologists participating in the program. During the first three years of the model, dialysis providers and nephrologists will receive a small bonus, called the Home Dialysis Payment Adjustment (HDPA) for home dialysis claims. The HDPA is intended to incentivize investment in home dialysis infrastructure as well as to provide resources to support broader adoption of home dialysis therapies and increase patient access to transplantation.
ĢýWe still have doctorswhoare a little bit uncomfortable with the therapy,Ģýsaid Dr. Michael Kraus, Associate Chief Medical Office of Fresenius Kidney Care, in a recent.ĢýIt's our job to demonstrate to them that this is a safe and effective method, give them the evidence it takes to show the improvement in quality.Ģý
According to the, at the end of 2018, there were 554,038 patientsondialysis.Out of these, 69,000 patients performedhome dialysis,accountingfor 12.5percentof all patients undergoing dialysis.
³ٳԱھٲǴdz徱,some patientsstilldo not realize home dialysis is an option for them.FMCNAmade a commitment to growing home therapy treatmentswell before the government models were announced.In 2020,FMCNAprovided more than 14percentof its dialysis treatments in the U.S. in a home setting, with home hemodialysis growing at 37percent.
ĢýWe havesignificantlyinvestedinmoresupport staff andhave doubledthe number of patients we train each monthto help accelerate growth of home,Ģý said Dr. Robert Kossmann, Chief Medical Officer for FMCNA.ĢýAsthese new incentives roll out, we mustallcontinue to work togetherto pave a brighter future for patients with kidney failure.Ģý
ճdzܲ,a recentlylaunched,patientsdiagnosed with kidney diseaseare receiving high quality educationabout home dialysis.In addition to earlier intervention and prevention, the program provides extensive education about kidney disease,related comorbidities,and treatment options for kidney failure including transplant and home dialysis. It alsoemphasizesthe importance of seeing a nephrologist,eating well,andliving a healthy lifestyle.The goal of this care coordination is to achieve optimal health outcomes and slow the progression of their disease.
Ѱ䱷DZԱ(TCUs) in 2020. The TCUs offer a hands-oneducationaround all treatment modalities including home dialysis, as they are designed to be a separate space within a dialysis center with staff dedicated to onboarding these new patients in their first weeks of treatment.
ĢýToo many patients with chronic kidney disease do not receive a timely referral to a nephrologist,Ģý saidKetchersid. ĢýBy working closely with our nephrologist partners and health plans, we are confident we have the ability to improve lives and outcomes for this vulnerable population.Ģý
Kidney transplantation is widely viewed as the best choice for patients with ESRD, which increases survival and quality of life all while reducing medical expenditures.Fresenius Kidney Carehas recently rolled out several new initiatives to better identify and encourage patients tobe evaluated for thetransplant list, helping more patients ultimately.
