Life to the Fullest

KCP'S COMMITMENT

Kidney Care Partners is committed to ensuring that high-quality, life-sustaining kidney care remains accessible to all patients … as well as providing prevention and education resources so that patients can become empowered to avoid ESRD altogether.

We pledge to:

• Improve outcomes and survival of those with kidney failure
• Help kidney patients live a full and productive life

Kidney disease affects 26 million Americans now, and this number will increase. Kidney failure robs people of their full potential, and impacts family members, caregivers and communities. KCP supports comprehensive legislation for improving kidney care in America - to ensure individuals with kidney disease will have equal access to care to help them to live a full and productive life. To improve lives and outcomes for kidney patients and the millions at risk, KCP supports policies that ensure:

• Equitable treatment by Medicare of ESRD patients, including access to the same insurance options as other Americans through what is known as the Medicare Secondary Payer policy;
• Access to quality kidney care and continued quality patient care outcomes;
  
• High quality of life for individuals with kidney failure through policies that are evidence-based and appropriately funded;
  
• Appropriate implementation of Medicare's new ESRD prospective payment system; and
  
• Increased focus on kidney disease research.

KCP has a long history of working closely with lawmakers to improve care and treatment for people with kidney disease.

Legislative Initiatives:

KCP has supported legislation to improve kidney disease awareness, education, and treatment.

• In 2003, KCP supported the successful passage of the Medicare Modernization Act (MMA) which changed the way Medicare pays for dialysis treatments and drugs.
  
• In 2008, KCP worked with Congress to enact the "Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act" (MIPPA) adding education initiatives and other improvements to the ESRD program. As part of MIPPA, the ESRD program became the first pay-for-performance program in Medicare.
  

Quality Initiatives:

The kidney community advances programs that improve kidney health, reduce disease incidence and support patients.

• In 2005, KCP launched the Kidney Care Quality Alliance (KCQA), developing performance measures (endorsed by the National Quality Forum) and recommendations on public reporting and pay-for-performance to improve the quality of care for kidney patients.
  
• In 2009, KCP launched the Performance Excellence and Accountability in Kidney Care (PEAK) Campaign to reduce mortality for patients in their first year of dialysis treatment by 20 percent by the end of 2012.
  

A BRIGHT FUTURE

Advancing treatment and supporting innovations in patient care and research can improve the lives of kidney patients, those who care for them, and their communities.

Accountable care organizations (ACOs), integrated care, increased use of home dialysis, and a requirement for private insurance to increasingly take responsibility for enhanced care of individuals at risk of kidney failure and with ESRD are immediate reforms on the horizon with the ability to help patients live life to the fullest.

The kidney community looks forward to working with policymakers to ensure high quality care and to bring important care reforms to fruition.

• Advancing treatment and supporting innovations in patient care and research can improve the lives of kidney patients, those who care for them, and their communities.
  
• Accountable care organizations (ACOs), integrated care, increased use of home dialysis, and providing patients with kidney failure a choice of insurance coverage are immediate reforms on the horizon with the ability to help patients live life to the fullest.

The kidney community looks forward to working with policymakers to ensure high quality care and to bring important care reforms to fruition.

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