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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

House panel passes bill extending Medicaid moratorium - article from AHANews - April 9, 2008
Walker calls for changes to sustain Medicare program - article from AHANews - April 8, 2008
Kidney Community Gathers on Capitol Hill to Ask Congress to Support Legislation for Increased Kidney Care Education, Updates for Kidney Dialysis Benefit - article from PRNewswire-USNewswire - April 7, 2008
Medicare pay bill: Raises to replace cuts through 2009 - article from the American Medical News - April 7, 2008
Senate bill introduced to halt Medicaid cuts - article from AHANews - April 4, 2008
Legislation Could Provide 'Useful Antidote' to Pharmaceutical Industry Influence on Physicians, Editorial States - article from the Kaiser Network - March 20, 2008
Reps. DeFazio, Stark Introduce Bill To Require Pharmaceutical, Medical Device Companies To Disclose Physician Gifts - article from the Kaiser Network - March 17, 2008
Legislation Introduced To Shed Light on Relationship between Drug Companies and Doctors - release from Rep. Pete Stark (D-CA) - March 13, 2008
Senators Plan To Introduce Bill That Would Aim To Curb Pharmaceutical Industry 'Detailing' Practices - article from the Kaiser Network - March 13, 2008
Drug Lobby Successfully Preventing Democratic Legislation To Reimport Drugs, Negotiate Prices for Medicare Drug Benefit - article from the Kaiser Network - March 12, 2008
Kidney Care Partners Urges Greater Kidney Disease Education and Legislative Support During National Kidney Month - article from PRNewswire-USNewswire - March 10, 2008
Rules aim for better patient safety through confidential error reports - article from the American Medical News - March 10, 2008
Bill targets need for nurse educators - article from AHANews - March 7, 2008
Majority of House, Senate oppose budget cuts - article from AHANews - March 4, 2008
Bush Administration To Propose Legislation That Would Overhaul U.S. Health Care System in Response to Medicare 'Trigger' - article from the Kaiser Network - February 14, 2008
Congress To Resume Crafting Medicare Legislation That Would Further Delay Physician Fee Cut - article from the Kaiser Network - January 17, 2008
Congressman Pushes National Organ Donor Database - article from Missouri Net - January 13, 2008
Kidney Care Community Urges Congress to Enact MedPAC's 2007 and 2008 Recommendations for Inflationary Adjustments to Medicare's Dialysis Benefit - article from PRNewswire-USNewswire - January 11, 2008
Congress OKs temporary reprieve on Medicare pay cut, renews SCHIP - article from American Medical News - January 7, 2008
President signs Medicare, Medicaid and SCHIP Extension Act - article from AHANews - January 2, 2008
Congress passes Medicare package - article from AHANews - December 19, 2007
Department of Defense Appropriations Act 2008 Provides $2 Million for Continued Development of Nephros Dual Stage Ultra Reliable Filter - article from Marketwire - December 19, 2007
Senate Will Craft Medicare Legislation, Likely To Develop Bare-Bones Package - article from the Kaiser Network - December 14, 2007
House Democrats Stall Medicare Vote; Republicans Propose Bare-Bones Bill, Including SCHIP Extension - article from the Kaiser Network - December 13, 2007
Leavitt Issues Requests for Medicare Reform Package - article from the Kaiser Network - December 4, 2007
Pharmaceutical Lobbying Groups Stall Legislation That Aims To Prevent Companies From Delaying Introduction of Generic Drugs to Market - article from Kaisernetwork - November 13, 2007
Medicare Dialysis Proposal Finally Gets Lawmakers’ Attention - article from Congressioal Quarterly - October 22, 2007
Kidney Care Community Voices Strong Support for Kidney Patients' Right to Choose - article from PRNewswire-USNewswire - October 22, 2007
US Senator seeks to overturn anemia drugs decision - article from Reuters - October 19, 2007
Battle erupts over Medicare coverage of dialysis - article from The Hill - October 5, 2007
Democratic Leaders Schedule SCHIP Legislation Vote For Oct. 18 in Hopes of Overriding President Bush's Veto - article from Kaisernetwork - October 4, 2007
President Bush Vetoes SCHIP Reauthorization and Expansion Legislation - article from Kaisernetwork - October 3, 2007
Lawmakers seek to aid anemia-drug producers in dispute with Medicare - article from The Hill - October 2, 2007
Senate Could Override Bush SCHIP Veto - article from NPR - September 27, 2007
Congress Passes Bill Delaying Tamper-Resistant Rx Pad Rule for 6 Months - article from JSOnline - September 26, 2007
Senate Committee Has Begun To Draft Bill To Prevent Reduction in Medicare Physician Payments - article from Kaisernetwork - September 26, 2007
Walls' act of kindness sparks act of Congress - article from USA Today - September 26, 2007
House, Senate Leaders Soon Could Announce SCHIP Compromise Legislation - article from Kaisernetwork - September 20, 2007
Absence of Medicare provisions in SCHIP bill changes the stakes - article from The Hill - September 20, 2007
SCHIP Compromise Bill Unlikely To Include Medicare Revisions - article from Kaisernetwork - September 19, 2007
Lawmakers Nearing Agreement on SCHIP Reauthorization, Expansion Legislation That Would Increase Funding by $35B Over Five Years - article from Kaisernetwork - September 17, 2007
Groups oppose bill changing definition of supervisor - article from AHANews - September 14, 2007
AAKP Endorses Congressional Support of the CHAMP Act - article from the American Association of Kidney Patients - September 13, 2007
House, Senate Unable To Resolve Differences Over SCHIP Legislation; New Jersey Gov. Corzine Threatens Lawsuit Challenging SCHIP Eligibility Rules - article from Kaisernetwork - September 13, 2007
House bill creates 6 Medicare payment categories - article from amednews - September 10, 2007
Senate Bill Would Require Drug, Medical Device Makers To Publicly Report Payments, Gifts to Physicians - article from Kaisernetwork - September 7, 2007
The Most Costly Earmark in S-CHIP - Blog entry from The Huffington Post - August 29, 2007
Doctors fear bill would resurrect punitive Medicare claims reviews - article from American Medical News - August 27, 2007
House SCHIP Reauthorization Bill Would Send Millions of Dollars Annually to About 40 'Favored' Hospitals With Boosted Medicare Payments, According to New York Times Review - article from Kaisernetwork - August 13, 2007
Former Acting CMS Head Discusses Potential Compromises Between Bush Administration, Congress for Reauthorizing SCHIP - article from Kaisernetwork - August 10, 2007
President Bush Renews Veto Threat of SCHIP Expansion Legislation - article from Kaisernetwork - August 9, 2007
The National Kidney Foundation (NKF) Teams up with Rep. Dave Camp and Rep. Ron Kind to Introduce Bill That Would Extend Medicare Coverage of Transplant Drugs - article from the National Kidney Foundation - July 31, 2007
Congress This Week To Consider Legislation That Would Reauthorize, Expand SCHIP, Make Changes to Medicare - article from Kaisernetwork - July 30, 2007
Congressional Health Reform Bills Could Improve Quality and Efficiency, but Fall Short of National Strategy: Analysis - article from HFMA - July 27, 2007
CHAMP bill clears House committee - article from AHANews - July 27, 2007
House SCHIP Legislation Needs Revision To Meet Pay/Go Requirements - article from Kaisernetwork - July 27, 2007
House Committees Set to Deliberate Bill Affecting ESA Reimbursements - article from FDA News - July 27, 2007
Major Changes for ESRD Medicare Program Included in House Bill for Children's Health Insurance - RenalWEB has copied the provisions of HR.3162 - July 25, 2007
Carl Levin: Senate Floor Statement on Living Kidney Organ Donation - article from All American Patriots - July 11, 2007
Legislation calls for healthcare IT trusts - article from Healthcare IT News - July 11, 2007
AZ hospitals back nurse shortage bill - article from AHA News - July 9, 2007
AAKP Asks Rep. Berman to Sign Legislation Extending Medicare Part B Coverage of Immunosuppressive Drugs - article from the American Association of Kidney Patients (AAKP) - June 28, 2007
U.S. lawmakers examine Medicare anemia drug payments - article from Reuters - June 26, 2007
Lawmakers Offer U.S. Plan for Generic Biotech Drugs - article from Bloomberg - June 22, 2007
Gregg amendment addresses need for nurses - article from AHANews - June 22, 2007
Representatives join fight against cuts - article from AHANews - June 13, 2007
Clinton lays out healthcare plan - article from The Hill - May 24, 2007
AAKP Asks Congressional Leaders to Co Sponsor Bill - article from the American Association of Kidney Patients (AAKP) - May 21, 2007
House Members Introduce Bill To Fund Comparative Effectiveness Studies on Medications, Medical Devices - article from Kaisernetwork - May 16, 2007
Senators introduce health IT bill - article from AHA News - May 16, 2007
Senate Passes Drug-Safety Reforms to Prevent Future Vioxx-type Disasters; House Urged to Act on Strong Drug Safety Bill - article from Consumers Union - May 9, 2007
House panel considers bill to revise definition of nurse supervisor - article from AHA News - May 9, 2007
Stark Introduces Bill To Limit Mandatory Overtime for Nurses - article from Kaisernetwork - May 8, 2007
Safe Nursing and Patient Care Act Introduced in Congress - release from the Pete Stark web site - May 3, 2007
The American Nurses Association Celebrates National Nurses Week with Congressional Briefing on Safe Patient Handling - article from the American Nurses Association - May 1, 2007
The bill that could rock biotech - article from CNN Money - April 30, 2007
Kennedy-Dingell bill would expand Medicare to those under 65 - article from AHA News - April 26, 2007
Senate Committee To Mark Up Medicare Prescription Drug Price Negotiations Bill - article from Kaisernetwork - April 12, 2007
Leading Lawmakers From Both Parties Working To Reach Agreement on Legislation That Would Permit FDA Approval of Generic Biotechnology Drugs - article from Kaisernetwork - April 10, 2007
House Approves $2.9T FY 2008 Budget That Would Require Lawmakers To Offset New Spending on Medicare, SCHIP - article from Kaisernetwork - March 30, 2007
Groups urge Congress to adequately fund nurse workforce programs - article from AHA News - March 29, 2007
Committee Holds Hearing on Legislation That Would Allow Generic Biotech Drugs - article from Kaisernetwork - March 27, 2007
House Committee Approves Genetic Discrimination Bill - article from Kaisernetwork - March 26, 2007
AARP Launches Ad Campaign Urging Lawmakers To Allow Medicare Prescription Drug Price Negotiations - article from Kaisernetwork - March 26, 2007
Nurses Support Legislaton That Would Reverse NLRB Definition of "Supervisor" - (pdf) article from the American Nurses Association - March 23, 2007
House Ways and Means Committee Passes Bill To Prohibit Genetic Discrimination - article from Kaisernetwork - March 22, 2007
Legislation Would Revise Asset Test for Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit, Enroll More Low-Income Beneficiaries in Drug Plans - article from Kaisernetwork - March 16, 2007
Biotechs nod as senators urge caution on generics - article from The Boston Globe - March 9, 2007
Martinez introduces bill to delay CMS' proposed Medicaid cuts - article from AHANews - March 8, 2007
Senate Expected to Pass 'Paired Kidney' Bill - article from My Fox - March 7, 2007
Kidney Care Partners Applauds House and Senate Leaders for Introducing the Kidney Care Quality and Education Act - (pdf) press release from Kidney Care Partners - February 27, 2007
Update: Genetic Information Non-Discrimination Bill Clears House Panel - article from the PKD Foundation - February 21, 2007
Legislators oppose Medicaid cuts proposed by CMS - article from AHANews - February 16, 2007
Legislation calls for cheaper biotech drugs - article from USA Today - February 14, 2007
Bipartisan Group of 10 Senators Offers President Bush a Blueprint for Increasing Health Care Coverage, White House Agrees To Work With Lawmakers - article from Kaisernetwork - February 14, 2007
Bill would eliminate secret ballots in union elections - article from AHANews - February 6, 2007
Rep. Stark To Seek Revision of Medicare Payment Inflation Updates To Cover Cost of Other Health Care Proposals - article from Kaisernetwork - February 2, 2007
American Medical Association Adjusts Strategy on Lobbying for Medical Malpractice Legislation - article from Kaisernetwork - February 1, 2007
Congress Might Consider Legislation That Would Allow FDA To Approve Generic Biotech Drugs - article from Kaisernetwork - January 30, 2007
FTC Asks Lawmakers To Ban Agreements To Delay Market Entry of Generic Medications - article from Kaisernetwork - January 18, 2007
Bipartisan health coverage bills introduced in Congress - article from AHANews - January 17, 2007
House Passes Bill That Would Require Federal Government To Negotiate Medicare Prescription Drug Prices - article from Kaisernetwork - January 16, 2007
Democrats Draft Bill That Would Require HHS To Negotiate Prices for Medicare Prescription Drugs - article from Kaisernetwork - January 5, 2007

Top of Page

 STATE LEGISLATION

Supporters vow to continue work on dialysis reimbursements - article from the Courier-Journal - April 5, 2008
Panel approves minimum dialysis reimbursements - article from the Courier-Journal - March 5, 2008
Childish dialysis battle continues in Legislature - article from Leader-Call - February 26, 2008
Alaskan State Officials Rework Ethics Legislation To Allow Lawmaker To Receive "Gift" Kidney - article from UPI - January 25, 2008
Proposed Indiana Legislation for Dialysis Patient Rights Echos Issues in National Renal Alliance's Lawsuit Against Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Georgia - article from Kidney Care for Indiana - January 2008
California Joins National Movement to Bring Uniformity to Organ Donation Laws as Governor Schwarzenegger Signs AB 1689 - article from PRNewswire-USNewswire - October 15, 2007
Illinois Legislation To Prevent Infections In Health Care Facilities - article from eMaxHealth - August 23, 2007
Nurses Laud Senate Passage of Single-Payer Bill, SB 840 On Eve of Major Public Event with Michael Moore, RNs, Doctors and Patients - article from the California Nurses Association (CNA) - June 6, 2007
IL passes nurse-staffing bill - article from AHA News - June 1, 2007
States Revising Organ-Donation Law - article from The Washington Post (registration required) - April 4, 2007
More State Lawmakers Consider Bills To Require Reporting of Hospital Infections - article from Kaisernetwork - March 12, 2007
Supporters to Introduce Groundbreaking Texas Hospital Patient Protection Act of 2007 - Bi-Partisan Bill Will Strengthen Legal Protections for Registered Nurses and Improve Care for Patients - Capitol Press Conference--Wednesday - article from the California Nurses Association (CNA) - February 30, 2007
TEXAS: Nurses rally for patient protection legislation - article from the California Nurses Association (CNA) - November 15, 2006
California Nurses Blast Schwarzenegger's Plan to Veto Healthcare Coverage Bill - article from the California Nurses Association (CNA) - September 5, 2006
California Legislature Sends Single-Payer Health Care Bill to Governor - article from the California Nurses Association (CNA) - August 31, 2006
Assembly Bills Encourage Organ Donation - article from the North Country Gazette - June 22, 2006
Carolina dialysis patients & providers visit state capitol to advocate kidney care policy - article from the Carolina Newswire - June 21, 2006
NH governor signs advance directives bill - article from AHANews - June 21, 2006
Senate Backs Bill to Reduce RN Workplace Injuries - article from the California Nurses Association (CNA) - June 1, 2006
House Passes Bill on RN Staffing in Massachusetts Hospitals - Measure Calls for Safe Limits on Nurses' Patient Assignments, Prohibits Mandatory Overtime and Includes Initiatives to Increase Nursing Faculty & Nursing Scholarships - article from the California Nurses Association (CNA) - May 24, 2006
Can Massachusetts Lead the Way in Health Care Reform? - full-text perspective piece from The New England Journal of Medicine - May 18, 2006
Massachusetts Legislature Approves Bill That Would Require Individuals To Have Health Insurance, Levy Assessment on Employers That Do Not Provide Coverage - article from Kaisernetwork - April 5, 2006
Senate Committee Approves Bill to Curb RN Workplace Injuries - article from the California Nurses Association (CNA) - March 29, 2006
Groups issue 'model' state legislation for public reporting of infections - article from AHANews - January 23, 2006

Top of Page

  FIND YOUR LEGISLATORS

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

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

Top of Page

  FEDERAL LEGISLATION 109th CONGRESS (2007-2008)

HR 3 - Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2007
To amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for human embryonic stem cell research.

HR 4 & S 3 - Medicare Prescription Drug Price Negotiation Act of 2007
To amend part D of title XVIII of the Social Security Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to negotiate lower covered part D drug prices on behalf of Medicare beneficiaries.

HR 15 - National Health Insurance Act
To provide a program of national health insurance, and for other purposes.

S 54 - Nursing School Clinics Act of 2007
A bill to amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to provide for coverage of services provided by nursing school clinics under State medicaid programs.

S 59 - Medicaid Advanced Practice Nurses and Physician Assistants Access Act of 2007
A bill to amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to improve access to advanced practice nurses and physician assistants under the Medicaid Program.

S73 - Registered Nurse Safe Staffing Act of 2007
A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for patient protection by establishing minimum nurse staffing, ratios at Medicare providers, and for other purposes.

S 137 - Preserving Medicare for All Act of 2007
A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide additional beneficiary protections.

S 158 - Access to Affordable Health Care Act
A bill to expand access to affordable health care and to strengthen the health care safety net and make health care services more available in rural and underserved areas.

S 242 - Pharmaceutical Market Access and Drug Safety Act of 2007
A bill to amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act with respect to the importation of prescription drugs, and for other purposes.

S 250 - Medicare Enhancements for Needed Drugs Act of 2007
To reduce the costs of prescription drugs for Medicare beneficiaries and to guarantee access to comprehensive prescription drug coverage under part D of the Medicare program, and for other purposes.

S 251 - Pharmaceutical Market Access Act of 2007
A bill to amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act with respect to the importation of prescription drugs, and for other purposes.

S 325 - Health Partnership Act
A bill to provide for innovation in health care through State initiatives that expand coverage and access and improve quality and efficiency in the health care system.

HR 378 - Nurse and Patient Safety & Protection Act of 2007
To direct the Secretary of Labor to issue an occupational safety and health standard to reduce injuries to patients, direct-care registered nurses, and other health care providers by establishing a safe patient handling standard.

HR 457 - Cures Can Be Found Act of 2007
To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide credits against income tax for qualified stem cell research, the storage of qualified stem cells, and the donation of umbilical cord blood.

HR 493 & S 358 - Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2007
To prohibit discrimination on the basis of genetic information with respect to health insurance and employment.

HR 677 - Nursing School Capacity Act of 2007
To provide for a study by the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences to identify constraints encountered by schools of nursing in admitting and graduating the number of nurses sufficient to meet the health care needs of the United States, and for other purposes.

HR 772 & S 446 - Nurse Education, Expansion, and Development Act of 2007
A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to authorize capitation grants to increase the number of nursing faculty and students, and for other purposes.

S 787 - A bill to impose a 2-year moratorium on implementation of a proposed rule relating to the Federal-State financial partnerships under Medicaid and the State Children's Health Insurance Program

HR 806 - To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to prohibit the marketing of authorized generic drugs
To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to prohibit the marketing of authorized generic drugs.

HR 1038 & S 623 - Access to Life-Saving Medicine Act
To amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for the licensing of comparable and interchangeable biological products, and for other purposes.

S 1062 - William H. Frist Gift of Life Congressional Medal Act
To establish a congressional commemorative medal for organ donors and their families.

S 1218 - Medicare for All Act
A bill to provide quality, affordable health care for all Americans.

HR 1245 & S 432 - Kidney Disease Educational Benefits Act of 2007
To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide coverage for kidney disease education services under the Medicare Program, and for other purposes.

HR 1193 & S 691 - Kidney Care Quality and Education Act of 2007
A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to improve the benefits under the Medicare Program for beneficiaries with kidney disease, and for other purposes.

S 1408 - Health Information Technology Act of 2007
A bill to improve quality in health care by providing incentives for adoption of modern information technology.

HR 1432 & S 316 - Preserve Access to Affordable Generics Act
To prohibit brand name drug companies from compensating generic drug companies to delay the entry of a generic drug into the market.

HR 1536 - Prescription Coverage Now Act of 2007
To amend part D of title XVIII of the Social Security Act to assist low-income individuals in obtaining subsidized prescription drug coverage under the Medicare prescription drug program by expediting the application and qualification process and by revising the resource standards used to determine eligibility for such subsidies, and for other purposes.

HR 1644 & S 969 - Re-Empowerment of Skilled and Professional Employees and Construction Tradeworkers (RESPECT) Act
To amend the National Labor Relations Act to clarify the definition of `supervisor' for purposes of such Act.

S 1947 - Continuing the Advancement of Quality Improvement Act of 2007
A bill to amend title XI of the Social Security Act to improve the quality improvement organization (QIO) program.

HR 2122 - Safe Nursing and Patient Care Act of 2007
To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for patient protection by limiting the number of mandatory overtime hours a nurse may be required to work in certain providers of services to which payments are made under the Medicare Program.

HR 2184 - Enhanced Health Care Value for All Act of 2007
To amend the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003 to expand comparative effectiveness research and to increase funding for such research to improve the value of health care.

S 2306 - A bill to amend the National Organ Transplant Act to clarify that kidney paired donation and kidney list donation do not involve the transfer of a human organ for valuable consideration

S 2499 - Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP Extension Act of 2007
A bill to amend titles XVIII, XIX, and XXI of the Social Security Act to extend provisions under the Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP programs, and for other purposes.

S 2785 - Save Medicare Act of 2008
A bill to amend title XVIII of the Security Act to preserve access to physicians' services under the Medicare program.

HR 2794 - America's Partnership for Nursing Education Act of 2007
To amend the Public Health Service Act to authorize grants to increase the number of qualified nursing faculty, and for other purposes.

HR 2900 & S 1082 - Food and Drug Administration Revitalization Act
An act to amend the Federal Food, Drug, and cosmetic Act and the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize drug and device user fees and ensure the safety of medical products, and for other purposes.

HR 2991 - Independent Health Record Trust Act of 2007
To improve the availability of health information and the provision of health care by encouraging the creation, use, and maintenance of lifetime electronic health records of individuals in independent health record trusts and by providing a secure and privacy-protected framework in which such records are made available only by the affirmative consent of such individuals and are used to build a nationwide health information technology infrastructure.