Recall: Medtronic Mahurkar HD Catheters

The FDA has announced the Class I recall of Mahurkar QPlus Acute Dual Lumen High Flow (13.5 French) Hemodialysis Catheters for Potential Catheter Hub Defect. “Use of these devices may cause serious injuries or death.” For details see https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/medical-device-recalls/medtronic-recalls-mahurkar-acute-dual-lumen-high-flow-hemodialysis-catheters-potential-catheter-hub/.

Medicare Part D Insulin Price Cap

Medicare has updated their bulletin on Part D Insulin coverage to explain the details of the new $35 per month price cap that took effect January 1, 2023, including instructions for getting refunds for higher charges in the initial months when implementation lagged policy. For details see https://www.medicare.gov/coverage/insulin (English) and https://es.medicare.gov/coverage/insulin (Spanish).

More January+ News and Events

• Respiratory Viruses. This is a bad season for respiratory viruses. With COVID-19, RSV and influenza circulating, many people are finding themselves under the weather. This surge of respiratory viruses has put immunocompromised patients such as those with ESRD at higher risk of hospitalization. This increase in hospitalizations has been straining our health care system and hospitals are struggling to care for patients with the added burden of persistent staffing shortages. This Oregon Health News article explains more about these viruses and how to keep yourself safe. https://covidblog.oregon.gov/why-are-so-many-people-sick-this-winter/.
• Home Dialysis Central has new post on whether your doctor addresses their own concerns, or yours. Find it at https://homedialysis.org/news-and-research/blog/525-tune-into-me-please.
• New EQRS Electronic Data System API link on EQRS menus. For details see https://mycrownweb.org/2023/01/eqrs-news-flash-self-service-onboarding/.
• Register for the March 2-3, 2023 NWRD Annual Conference. Find full details and Register at https://www.nwrdonline.org/. Register for the live in-person version in Olympia WA by February 15, and/or for the recordings by March 1.
• January 24-25, 2023: Understanding Medicare webinars from the Medicare National Training Program. Find Details at https://cmsnationaltrainingprogram.cms.gov/?q=ntp-courses. Take either or both:
  • January 24, 2023: Medicare NTP Understanding Medicare Day 1 webinar, covering enrollment and eligibility; SSA and CMS roles and responsibilities; cost and coverage under Part A (Hospital Insurance) and Part B (Medical Insurance); why enrolling on time is important; and an overview of Supplement Insurance (Medigap) policies. Register at CMSnationaltrainingprogram.cms.gov/moodle/course/view.php?id=241.
  • January 25, 2023: Medicare NTP Understanding Medicare Day 2 webinar, including drug coverage (Part D); Advantage Plans; coordination of benefits; how to detect and report suspected fraud, waste, and abuse; and different resources to help you find answers to policy and coverage questions. Register at CMSnationaltrainingprogram.cms.gov/moodle/course/view.php?id=242.
• January 25, 2023: AAKP Healthline webinar on Building Resilience: Strategies for Managing Mental Health and Kidney Disease. Designed for all kidney patients across the CKD spectrum: early-stage patients, dialysis patients, and transplant recipients. Register at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/AAKPHL_BuildingResilience.
• January 27, 2023: PFCC Community of Practice Town Hall on The Funfetti Approach for Patient Family Engagement. Register at https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZIvd-uopjwsGd2coTYuKtu9S_NzfHas6jS6.
• January 31, 2023: AAKP Healthline webinar on A Treatment Specifically Designed for IgA Nephropathy, an AAKP HealthLine Innovator Webinar sponsored by Calliditas Therapeutics. Register at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/AAKPHealthLine_IgATreatmentCalliditas.
• February 6, 2023: AAKP Healthline webinar on Increasing Diversity in Clinical Trials: The FIND-CKD Study, Sponsored by Bayer. Register at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/AAKPHealthLine_DiversityInTrials.
• February 15, 2023: Registration and Reserved Lodging Deadline for the Live In-Person NWRD Annual Conference, March 2-3. Find details and register at https://www.nwrdonline.org/.
• March 1, 2023: Registration Deadline for Recordings of the NWRD Annual Conference, March 2-3. Find details and register at https://www.nwrdonline.org/. The In-Person Live Conference and the Recordings require separate registrations. Select one or the other or both.
• March 2-3, 2023: NWRD Annual Conference with an emphasis on the cuisine and culture of India. There will be no online version this year, but instead the Conference will be live and in-person in Olympia WA, with a separate option to buy the recordings of it. Find full details and register at https://www.nwrdonline.org/. Registration deadlines are February 15 for the live version and reserved lodging, and March 1 for the recordings.
• March 12-18, 2023: Patient Safety Awareness Week. Find information and materials at https://forward.centerforpatientsafety.org/patient-safety-awareness-week-psaw.

January+ Events

• January 2023: National Blood Donor Month. Details at https://www.redcross.org/give-blood.html.

• January 17, 2023: EQRS New User Training. Details and registration at https://mycrownweb.org/pcw_lems/january-2023-new-user-training/.

• January 19, 2023: CMS QIP CY 2023 ESRD PPS Final Rule Webinar. CMS published the final rule for the CY2023 ESRD PPS, available online at https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2022/11/07/2022-23778/medicare-program-end-stage-renal-disease-prospective-payment-system-payment-for-renal-dialysis The Final Rule includes requirements for the ESRD QIP, beginning with payment years 2023, 2024, and 2025. Find details and register at https://www.cms.gov/Medicare/Quality-Initiatives-Patient-Assessment-Instruments/ESRDQIP/99_EduResources.

• January 19, 2023: NKF Big Ask: Big Give First Steps to Transplant webinar. For details, see flyer below. Register at https://events.blackthorn.io/en/5f4bLi97/babg-first-steps-4a3V8ZrF5d/overview.

• January 19, 2023: Donate Life Northwest Workshop for Kidney Donors on How to Write to Transplant Recipients. Find details and register at https://www.donatelifenw.org/civicrm/event/info?reset=9803&id=9803.

• January 24, 2023: Donate Life Northwest Transplant Educator 301 Training Webinar. Find details and register at https://www.donatelifenw.org/civicrm/event/info?reset=9823&id=9823.

• January 26, 2023: Donate Life Northwest Transplant Ambassador 201 Training Webinar. Find details and register at https://www.donatelifenw.org/civicrm/event/info?reset=9841&id=9841.

• February 9, 2023: Donate Life Northwest Trivia Night to celebrate February 14 National Donor Day. Find details at https://www.donatelifenw.org/trivia, and register by February 3 at https://www.donatelifenw.org/civicrm/event/register?id=9787.

• February 14, 2023: National Donor Day. Details in English and Spanish at https://www.donatelifenw.org/civicrm/event/register?id=9787.

• February 17, 2023: National Caregivers Day. Details at https://www.nahc.org/national-caregivers-day/.

CMS News: ESRD/AKI Billing, Cognitive Assessment, Drug Prices

Todays MLN Matters bulletin from CMS includes articles on:

• CY 2023 Updates: ESRD & AKI Dialysis on changes to policies and rates (see https://www.cms.gov/files/document/mm12978-esrd-acute-kidney-injury-dialysis-cy-2023-updates.pdf).
• Billing for separate treatments for Cognitive Assessment & Care Plan Services (see https://www.cms.gov/cognitive).
• Key Dates for the First Year of the Inflation Reduction Act’s Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program (see https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/press-releases/hhs-announces-key-dates-first-year-inflation-reduction-acts-medicare-drug-price-negotiation-program). Negotiations begin in 2023, and negotiated prices take effect in 2026. This document notes that the IRA has already made vaccines free, capped insulin prices, changed pricing for biosimilars, required rebates on some drug price increases, and expanded eligibility for health insurance subsidies. It also mentions Part B (Medicare coverage of immunosuppresive drugs for transplant recipients), but Part B is detailed elsewhere (see https://nwrnbulletins.wordpress.com/2022/12/22/mln-mattrs-medicare-part-b-id-transplant-drugs/).

Find the full bulletin at https://www.cms.gov/outreach-and-education/outreach/ffsprovpartprog/provider-partnership-email-archive/2023-01-12-mlnc#_Toc124335724.

1/12 Medicare Updates Webinar

The CMS National Training Program will present a Medicare Updates & Education Webinar that will cover what’s new in Medicare for 2023, including changes from the Inflation Reduction Act and the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021.  Other topics include Flu Shots & Vaccinations, Cervical Health Awareness Month, and National Glaucoma Awareness Month. Register at CMSnationaltrainingprogram.cms.gov/moodle/course/view.php?id=240.