Improving Access to Home Dialysis Act of 2024

Health

house

senate

president

Introduced on April 18, 2024 by Carol Devine Miller

Cosponsors

Legislation Details

Amends the Social Security Act to provide Medicare coverage for staff-assisted home dialysis for certain hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis patients.
Introduces the “Improving Access to Home Dialysis Act of 2024.”
Specifies conditions under which staff-assisted home dialysis can be furnished, including for initializing patients, returning patients, and temporary assistance patients, with provisions for extensions based on medical necessity.
Defines categories of patients eligible for staff-assisted home dialysis, including those with cognitive or neurological impairments, mobility-reducing conditions, or temporary circumstances preventing self-administration of dialysis.
Establishes an add-on payment amount for staff-assisted home dialysis, requiring consultation with stakeholders to ensure patient choice, access, and flexibility.
Mandates patient education on modality options and training for individuals and their care partners in the skills needed for staff-assisted home dialysis.
Amends the anti-kickback statute to exclude remuneration related to the furnishing of staff-assisted home dialysis.
Requires a study to examine racial and rural disparities in the utilization of home dialysis and to analyze clinical and quality of life outcomes for patients across different dialysis modalities.
Directs the development of a patient-centered decision tool to assist dialysis patients in choosing their dialysis setting and modality, emphasizing the capability and preference for home dialysis.
Amends quality measures to include patient quality of life for individuals utilizing dialysis, aiming to measure and improve the quality of life for dialysis patients regardless of the modality chosen.

Last updated 8/24/2024