Pending Dialysis-related Legislation

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This Legislation Watch on RenalWEB tracks pending dialysis-related legislation at both federal and state levels. Features include links to bill summaries, sample letters to send legislators, related news articles, and position papers from contributors. You can access information by clicking on the links listed to the left of this paragraph.

The latest federal budget surplus estimates show that there is less money than previously anticipated to fund the government’s programs. As a result, competition for federal healthcare dollars will be fierce. Therefore, participation in lobbying and letter writing to legislators are more important this year than they have ever been.

If you are interested providing a sample letter or supporting information for any legislation, please contact RenalWEB at renalweb@renalweb.com.

LATEST NEWS AND ACTION ITEMS

	Bill Would Exempt Medicare Providers from Sequestration - News item from AHA News. - November 30, 2011
	Supreme Court Names Lawyers To Participate In Health Law Case - Article from Kaiser Health News. - November 21, 2011
	Inforgraphic: Legal Questions And Answers That Will Decide The Health Law’s Fate - Summary from Kaiser Health News. - November 18, 2011
	More Americans Than Not Want Health Law Repeal: Poll - Article from Reuters. - November 16, 2011
	Facing Pressure From All Sides, Deficit Panel Keeps Hands Off Health Law - News summary from Kaiser Health News. - November 16, 2011
	Supreme Court Will Hear Challenges To Health Law - News summary from Kaiser Health News. - November 14, 2011
	How The Health Law Shakes Out If High Court Overturns Individual Mandate - News summary from Kaiser Health News. - November 2, 2011
	Hospital Groups Ask Supreme Court to Resolve Reform Law - October 31, 2011
	Public Support Of Health Law Drops Sharply - Article from Kaiser Health News. - October 28, 2011
	No Kidney Left Behind - KidneyTalk podcast on legislation to extend immunosuppressant coverage. - October 26, 2011
	House Committee Passes Bill to Restore NLRA Protections - October 26, 2011
	With Much At Stake, Lobbyists Stay Close To Super Committee - News summary from Kaiser Health News. - October 24, 2011
	Supreme Court Opens New Term; Health Law Challenge Tops Agenda - News summary from Kaiser Health News. Also see AHANews article and friend-of-the court brief filed in August. - October 3, 2011
	Obama Administration Asks High Court To Rule On Health Law - News summary from Kaiser Health News. - September 29, 2011
	Analysis: States Lobby Against Medicaid Cuts in Congress - September 29, 2011
	Obama Healthcare Law Headed for Supreme Court - Article from Reuters. - September 26, 2011
	U.S. Representatives Burgess and Kind Introduce Legislation to Protect Kidney Transplant Recipients - News release. - September 21, 2011
	Participants Met with Members of Congress to Discuss Extending Immunosuppressive Drug Coverage for Transplant Patients, Deficit Reduction Efforts - Press release from Dialysis Patient Citizens. - September 19, 2011
	A Congresswoman’s Cause Is Often Her Husband’s Gain - Article from The New York Times. - September 5, 2011 "As Ms. Berkley (D-NV) has pushed the cause of kidney care in Congress, her husband’s (Dr. Larry Lehrner) practice has boomed, thanks in part to his joint ownership of dialysis centers with DaVita, a giant in the industry and one of Ms. Berkley’s biggest campaign contributors." “This is a very serious conflict of interest,” said James A. Thurber, a former Congressional aide who has helped revise ethics rules and is now director of the Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies at American University. “There is an official use of power here to help him and the family — and I think that is unethical.” Also see: 2011— 50 Wealthiest in Congress from The Hill.
	Interests Line Up To Guide 'Super Committee' Decisions - News summary from Kaiser Health News. - August 17, 2011
	'Super Committee:' What's To Become Of Medicare, Medicaid? - News summary from Kaiser Health News. - August 16, 2011
	Latest Health Law Decision Pushes Challenges Toward Supreme Court - News summary from Kaiser Health News. - August 15, 2011
	Independent Payment Advisory Board Draws Sustained Opposition From GOP, Health Industry Lobbyists - News summary from Kaiser Health News. - August 15, 2011
	11th Circuit Court Of Appeals Finds The Health Law's Individual Mandate Unconstitutional - News summary from Kaiser Health News. Article from The Washington Post. - August 13, 2011
	Incentives Laid Out in Health Reform Law - Article from Reuters. - August 12, 2011
	Turning From Debt Debate, Some GOP House Members Renew Health Law Attack - News summary from Kaiser Health News. - August 7, 2011
	Health Care Recommendations From Previous Bipartisan Deficit-Reduction Groups: Document - News summary from Kaiser Health News. - August 2, 2011
	Senators Introduce Legislation To Help Organ Transplant Patients; Extend Immunosuppressant Coverage - Press release. - July 29, 2011
	Health Law Challenge Inches Toward Supreme Court - News summary from Kaiser Health News. - July 28, 2011
	'Gang Of Six' Plan Includes Deep Health Care Cuts - Article from Kaiser Health News. - July 21, 2011
	Federal Appeals Court Upholds Healthcare Reform Law - News summary from Kaiser Health News. - June 29, 2011
	Affordable Care Act Saves $260 Million This Year - Article from Healthcare.gov. - June 28, 2011
	Cap Spending Bills Would Harm Healthcare Delivery, Study Suggests - Article from HFMA. - June 24, 2011
	Studies: Health Law Aids Employer Health Coverage - News summary from Kaiser Health News. - June 22, 2011 Also see: Employer-Based Healthcare Coverage on Decline, Report Says
	More oppose than support Republican Medicare plan - Article from Reuters. - June 8, 2011
	Lawmakers Run Scared from Reforming Medicare - Article from Reuters. - May 26, 2011
	Ryan Budget, With Medicare And Medicaid Overhaul, Rejected By Senate - News summary from Kaiser Health News. - May 26, 2011
	Republicans Suggest Deal Possible on Healthcare - Article from Reuters. - May 23, 2011
	House Republicans Back Away on Medicare Overhaul - Article from Reuters. Video from Kaiser Health News. - May 5, 2011
	Report: Health Law Will Make Insurance More Affordable To Most - News summary from Kaiser Health News. - April 27, 2011
	Senators Introduce Bill To Make Doctor Medicare Claims Data Public - April 8, 2011
	GOP Looks To Reshape Medicaid; Democrats Question HHS Stance On State Cuts - Article from Kaiser Health News. - March 27, 2011
	Proponents, Opponents Continue Focus On Health Law Anniversary - News summary from Kaiser Health News. - March 22, 2011
	Senator Reintroduces Bill To Push Telehealth for Rural America - Article from Healthcare IT News. - March 18, 2011
	House Bills Would Repeal ACA Limits on Physician Self-referral - AHA News item. - March 18, 2011
	GOP Focus Remains Tight On Reforming Medicare, Entitlement Programs - March 4, 2011
	Florida Judge: Reform Law Should Stand Pending Supreme Court Ruling - News item from HFMA and summary from Kaiser Health News. - March 3, 2011
	Bipartisan Senate Bills Would Open Medicare Physician Payment Data To Public - Summary from Kaiser Health News. - March 3, 2011
	Judge Upholds Health Law's Insurance Coverage Requirement - News summary from Kaiser Health News. - February 23, 2011
	The GOP Strategy To Defund The Health Law - News summary from Kaiser Health News. - February 23, 2011
	House Republicans Vote To Defund Health Law - News summary from Kaiser Health News. - February 19, 2011
	Healthcare Reform Law Rollout Forges Ahead Despite GOP Budget Threats - Article from American Medical News. - February 14, 2011
	For Lawmakers, First-Person Experiences Impact Health Policy Decisions - News summary from Kaiser Health News. - February 9, 2011
	Senate Rejects Healthcare Repeal - Articles from The Hill and Kaiser Health News. - February 2, 2011
	Judge Strikes Down Healthcare Reform Law - Article from Reuters . - February 2, 2011
	House Shifts to Medical Liability Overhaul after Health Reform Vote - Article from American Medical News. - January 31, 2011
	After Vote, GOP's Real Work Begins - News summary from Kaiser Health News. - January 20, 2011
	House Repeals Healthcare Law - Articles from The Hill, Kaiser Health News and GoozNews. - January 19, 2011
	GOP Leaders Reformulate Strategies To Undo Health Law - News summary from Kaiser Health News. - January 13, 2011
	House Delays Vote On Repeal Of Health Care Law - News summary from Kaiser Health News. - January 9, 2011
	Reforming Health Care Reform in the 112th Congress - Free, full-text perspective piece from The New England Journal of Medicine. - January 6, 2011
	Democrats Defend Health Law, Prepare To Fight Back As House Minority - News summary from Kaiser Health News. - January 5, 2011
	House Scheduled To Vote Jan. 12 On Health Law Repeal - Article from Kaiser Health News. - January 4, 2011
	Justice Department Will Appeal Health Ruling, Virginia Decision Viewed As One Step In Long Path To Supreme Court - News summary from Kaiser Health News. - December 15, 2011
	18.3 Million Baby Boomers Could Benefit from the Affordable Care Act - December 14, 2011

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STATE LEGISLATION

	DaVita & Fresenius Medical Care Claim Minnesota State Budget Bill Could Threaten Patient Access to Dialysis Care - Press release. - June 24, 2011
	Vermont Governor Signs Bill Creating Single-Payer System - News items from HFMA. - May 30, 2011
	New York Bill Seeks Physician Dress Code To Cut Infections - Article from American Medical News. - May 23, 2011
	Health Care Certificate-of-Need (CON) Laws: Policy or Politics? - News release from the Center for Studying Health System Change. - May 23, 2011 Full-text report from the National Institute for Health Care Reform.
	National Transplant Organizations Applaud Arizona Governor and Legislature for Restoring Life-Saving Medicaid Patient Coverages - Press release from the American Society of Transplantation. - April 2011
	Legislators Grappling with Tax Burden for New Mexico Dialysis Providers - March 8, 2011
	Supreme Court to Determine Whether States Can Cut Medicaid Payments - January 20, 2011
	Oklahoma Budget May Hurt Kidney Patients - AP article via NewsOK. - January 19, 2011 "If you cut dialysis, you're killing people,” said state Sen. Clark Jolley, chairman of the subcommittee that oversees health care funding. “Is it an optional coverage? Yes. Is it one that we're going to cut? I certainly hope not."

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FIND YOUR LEGISLATORS

	U.S. Representatives: You can locate your U.S. Representative
	U.S. Senators: You can locate your U.S. Senators

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FEDERAL LEGISLATION 111th CONGRESS (2009-2010)

HR 2 - Repealing the Job-Killing Health Care Law Act
Repeals the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, effective as of its enactment. Restores provisions of law amended by such Act.

Text: HR 2
Summary & Status: HR 2

HR 5 & S 218 - Help Efficient, Accessible, Low-cost, Timely Healthcare (HEALTH) Act of 2011

Text: HR 5 & S 218
Summary & Status: HR 5 & S 218

HRes 9 - Instructing certain committees to report legislation replacing the job-killing health care law
Resolved, That the Committee on Education and the Workforce, the Committee on Energy and Commerce, the Committee on the Judiciary, and the Committee on Ways and Means, shall each... .

Text: HRes 9
Summary & Status: HRes 9

HRes 26 - Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 2) to repeal the job-killing health care law and health care-related provisions in the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010
Providing for consideration of the resolution (H. Res. 9) instructing certain committees to report legislation replacing the job-killing health care law; and for other purposes.

Text: HRes 26
Summary & Status: HRes 26

HR 173 - Medicare Fraud Prevention Act of 2011
To amend titles XI and XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide increased civil and criminal penalties for acts involving fraud and abuse under the Medicare Program and to increase the amount of the surety bond required for suppliers of durable medical equipment.

Text: HR 173
Summary & Status: HR 173

S 756 - Medicare Data Access for Transparency and Accountability Act
To amend title XI of the Social Security Act to provide for the public availability of Medicare claims data.

Text: S 756
Summary & Status: S 756

S 1454 & HR 2969 - Comprehensive Immunosuppressive Drug Coverage for Kidney Transplant Patients
To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for extended months of Medicare coverage of immunosuppressive drugs for kidney transplant patients and other renal dialysis provisions.

Text: S 1454 & HR 2969
Summary & Status: S 1454 & HR 2969

HR 1605 & S 245 - Commitment to American Prosperity Act
To reduce Federal spending in a responsible manner.

Text: H 1605 & S 245
Summary & Status: H 1605 & S 245

HR 3094 & S 1843 - Workforce Democracy and Fairness Act
To amend the National Labor Relations Act with respect to representation hearings and the timing of elections of labor organizations under that Act.

Text: HR 3094 & S 1843
Summary & Status: HR 3094 & S 1843

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LOBBYING AND LETTER WRITING

It is important to convince Senators and Representatives to cosponsor the bill through grassroots letters and lobbying. A bill that has wide, bipartisan support in both the House and Senate has a better chance of being enacted into law. When the House and Senate leaders choose bills to include in a Medicare package, they will look for bills that have cosponsors from a variety of geographic locations, from both political parties, and support from Members on the Committees that have jurisdiction over the program being effected.

Do not e-mail your Member of Congress, but instead take the time to type or hand write a letter. ("Copy and paste" the sample letters to save time and then edit them appropriately.) It will get a much better response from your Senators and Representatives. Messages coming from the people who elected them really do receive the most attention and are an effective educational tool.

Use these Tips on Writing a Legislator from the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) to help you correspond with your congressional representatives.

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CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEES

THOMAS - Legislative Information on the Internet from the Library of Congress

House of Representatives - Homepage

Ways and Means Committee: Homepage
- Subcommittee on Health: Homepage
Energy and Commerce: Homepage
- The Subcommittee on Health: Homepage

Senate - Homepage

Finance Committee: Homepage
- Subcommittee on Healthcare: Member list
Special Committee on Aging: Homepage
Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee: Homepage

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OTHER RESOURCES

	NKF Office of Scientific and Public Policy
	Issues and Legislation - from the Kidney Care Partners web site
	ESRD Briefing Book for State and Federal Policy Makers (pdf format requires Adobe Acrobat Reader) from the ANNA web site
	Capital Kidney Connection from the National Kidney Foundation web site
	Kidney Care Partners web site

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