The Center for Medicare & Medicaid Service’s proposal to cut about 12% from its End-Stage-Renal-Disease treatment reimbursement program drew harsh words from the non-profit Renal Support Network.
Organization CEO Lori Hartwell called the proposal "draconian" and warned that the cuts most harms patients, especially those with limited access to dialysis care.
"These cuts will impact hundreds of thousands of people who require dialysis in order to survive, especially patients in rural and inner city facilities," Harwell said in prepared remarks. "As CEO of RSN and long-time advocate it is incomprehensible to propose such an ill-advised cut on a program for this vulnerable patient population."
Under ever-increasing pressure to tighten healthcare budgets, CMS earlier this week issued its reimbursement proposal, which also drew harsh criticism from medical device makers.
"We are deeply disappointed in CMS’ proposal," Fresenius spokesperson Jon Stone told MassDevice.com earlier this month. "We urge Congress and the Administration to act immediately to protect access to the highest quality care for Americans with kidney failure."
