Kidney Community Lauds New Federal Rule Ensuring Equal Treatment of People with Kidney Failure under Health Reform Law

WASHINGTON, March 12, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Kidney Care Partners (KCP), a broad-based coalition of patient advocates, dialysis professionals, care providers and manufacturers working together to improve quality of care for individuals with chronic kidney disease and end stage renal disease, praised the Administration today for clarifying a provision of the Health Care Reform law ensuring equal treatment within health benefit exchanges of individuals with kidney failure.

Under current law, individuals who have been diagnosed with kidney failure who have group health plan coverage are allowed to maintain their private coverage for 30 months before being enrolled in Medicare – a policy known as Medicare Secondary Payer (MSP). The rule released today clarifies that under the new health care reform law's health benefit exchange program, individuals who enroll in small group plans within the health exchanges and are diagnosed with kidney failure will be granted the same right to maintain private coverage for up to 30 months as people with group health coverage purchased outside of the exchanges. In many situations, private coverage is beneficial because co-pays may be lower and coverage may be better than under Medicare.

"KCP applauds the Administration for its leadership and ongoing efforts to protect Americans who require health care coverage and especially people with kidney failure, who are among the most vulnerable," said KCP Chairman Ron Kuerbitz.  "We look forward to working with the Administration to implement this important policy and to address other issues of concern to the kidney care community."

Last week, the kidney community marked World Kidney Day with a visit by NBA All-Star and Kidney Disease Patient Advocate Alonzo Mourning to Washington, DC to join fellow kidney patients in meetings on Capitol Hill and with key Administration officials to advocate for this clarification.

"As someone who suffered from kidney disease but was fortunate enough to have had a kidney transplant, I am proud to speak out for our nation's kidney patients and ask policymakers to see to it that the health reform law fully protects individuals with kidney failure as it seeks to protect all other Americans," Mourning said last week. "This is simply an issue of fairness and parity for patients, and it is truly what the intentions were when health care reform legislation passed."

SOURCE Kidney Care Partners

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