AAKP Submits Written Testimony to the House Ways & Means Committee Regarding Patient Safety and Quality Issues in End-Stage Renal Disease Treatment.

TAMPA, Fla. -- The American Association of Kidney Patients (AAKP), a national non-profit organization dedicated to helping kidney patients and their loved ones live more productive lives, submitted written testimony to the United States House Ways & Means Committee, chaired by Congressman Bill Thomas (R-CA), as part of a hearing on patient safety and quality issues in end-stage renal disease treatment.

The testimony submitted by AAKP focuses on:

1) The patient/physician relationship. AAKP strongly believes that a physician and patient must decide on a care plan best suited to the patient. AAKP recommends against any legislation that would impede this relationship.

2) Support for continuous quality care and improvement. Piecemeal approaches to improving quality may not offer the best health outcomes for patients. That is why AAKP has once again called for Congress to establish a "National Commission on Improved Kidney Patient Outcomes." AAKP believes a global perspective is needed to improve quality and coordination of medical care for dialysis patients, and perhaps even create savings to Medicare.

3) Safety monitoring. AAKP supports legislation to ensure safety in healthcare settings.

With regard to the administration of erythropoietin (EPO) to patients, AAKP has previously addressed CMS with comments and questions regarding dosing policies. Though recent clinical studies such as CHOIR have demonstrated mortality in non-dialysis patients, AAKP has asked CMS if there is any clinical data that demonstrates that dialysis patients are in fact receiving more EPO than necessary to maintain an appropriate hematocrit level, or that inappropriate EPO prescribing by physicians is the driver for increased EPO spending.

AAKP also remains interested in how a new "basic case-mix adjusted composite rate" would affect the Medicare payment rates for separately billed drugs and biologicals (including erythropoietin) to the per-session composite rate for dialysis treatment.

With the U.S. ranking last among industrialized countries in mortality for kidney patients, there is a clear need to take a close look at the adequacy of medical care for U.S. dialysis patients.

"The mission of AAKP has always been to assist kidney patients in achieving the best possible quality of life," said AAKP Executive Director & CEO Kris Robinson. "AAKP commends the Committee for recognizing the critical importance of safety and quality issues for ESRD patients."

AAKP has a long history of working with leaders in Washington, DC on behalf of kidney patients. AAKP was instrumental in the fight for the enactment of the Medicare ESRD Program. In 1972, Shep Glazer, then-Vice President of the forerunner organization to AAKP, testified before the House Ways and Means Committee while being dialyzed. This effort was crowned with success in 1972 when Congress enacted the program that continues to provide Medicare funding for dialysis and kidney transplantation. AAKP will continue to work closely with the Committee on patient safety and quality issues in the 110th Congress, beginning in January.

For written testimony visit: http://www.aakp.org/public-policy/testimonies/

AAKP is the voluntary, patient organization, which for more than 35 years, has been dedicated to improving the lives of fellow kidney patients and their families by helping them deal with the physical, emotional and social impact of kidney disease. The programs offered by AAKP inform and inspire patients and their families to better understand their condition, adjust more readily to their circumstances, and assume more normal, productive lives in their communities.