Dr. Beth Piraino, NKF President
As a follow-up to our post End of Life Decisions for Dialysis Patients: Update on Proposed Medicare Rule, we are pleased to report that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) have affirmed that dialysis patients who enter hospice for a terminal illness unrelated to their kidney failure may continue to receive dialysis services paid for under Medicare Part B. This is a great relief for patients and their families who have been diagnosed with a terminal illness and wish to enter hospice care. End of life decisions are not easy for anyone and hospice care can provide patients with palliative care and the psychosocial support necessary to help patients and families through this difficult time. The National Kidney Foundation is pleased that CMS continues to recognize the need for patients to have continued access to dialysis when entering hospice care for an unrelated condition.
Advocacy in Action 
I have a question. I am in Indiana and on dialysis and was recently suspended from the transplant list through I U because of my spend down with Medicaid being 1000 a month because my disability check is 1700 a month.so I guess the transplant team is worried that I will not be able to afford the after transplant treatment cost when I assure them that I can. Anyone else have this problem? Been on list almost two years and the only thing that changed was the state ‘re worded spend down to esrd liability. Please help. I want a transplant. Only 45 years old and want to get back to work.
As always, these issues are never important until someone they know, or possibly themselves need it. Let us all do what we can to help one another.