The ESRD NCC will present a free May 7, 2024 webinar for all staff at dialysis facilities and transplant centers on Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (“CLAS”) Action Plan for the Kidney Community. Find details on the poster below and register at https://tinyurl.com/mr272atb (note that the “Click here” link below doesn’t work).
April 16, 2024 – EQRS New User Training. Find details and registraton at https://mycrownweb.org/pcw_lems/april-2024-new-user-training/.
April 25, 2024 – Webinar on De-Escalation & Communication in a Behavioral Health Setting presented by the National Association on Mental Illness (NAMI) – Seattle, and the Northwest Mental Health Technology Transfer Network (MHTTC Network), online. Designed for direct service providers and staff who work with clients and community members. Learn what contributes to emotionally escalated interactions, ways to assess the situation, and practical strategies to defuse and de-escalate to support the health and safety of everyone involved. Find details and register at https://mhttcnetwork.org/event/de-escalation-communication-in-a-behavioral-health-setting/. Find more NAMI Seattle events at https://namiseattle.org/events/upcoming-events/ (scroll down for the complete calendar), and more MHTTC Network events at https://mhttcnetwork.org/training-and-events-calendar/.
KDIGO has released an extensive list of resources to accompany their new CKD Guideline, including seven “Top Ten Takeaways” resources for nephrologists, pediatricians, and PCPs; an Executive Summary; and a Data Supplement. Find these resources, and a link to the KDIGO 2024 CKD Guideline itself, at https://kdigo.org/guidelines/ckd-evaluation-and-management/.
CMS has released a final rule that will protect and improve access to Medicaid, CHIP, and BHP. The Streamlining the Medicaid, Children’s Health Insurance Program, and Basic Health Program Application, Eligibility Determination, Enrollment, and Renewal Processes rule will remove red tape and barriers to enrollment, update and build on the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA’s) coverage protections. Find more information at https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/press-releases/biden-harris-administration-finalizes-rule-expanding-access-care-and-increasing-protections-people.
March 27, 2024: NKF Transplant Financials Webinar on Financial Considerations in Kidney Transplant: The Process, Barriers, Strategies & Resources, in the “Lunch & Learn” Series, for all dialysis professional staff. Find details and register at https://cme.kidney.org/spa/courses/resource/r629-financial-considerations-in-kidney-transplant-the-process-barriers-strategies–resources.
March 29, 2024: Comment Deadline for Feedback on Draft of New CDC Website on CKD. Review the Draft and comment at https://beta.cdc.gov/kidney-disease/.
HDC/Lori Hartwell’s Proposal for Increasing Home Dialysis, with her Invitation to Comment. See https://homedialysis.org/news-and-research/blog/588-do-we-need-a-new-model-to-reward-people-who-do-home-dialysis.
March EQRS Newsletter Available at https://mycrownweb.org/2024/03/march-2024-newsletter-now-available/, with information on the 2744 ESRD Annual Survey, March 14 EOCT Town Hall, Care Compare Update, New EQRS Dashboard Reports, New EQRS Medication Reconciliation Reporting Field, ESRD QIP Information, How to Route Questions, and ESRD Data Submission Deadlines.
March 14, 2024:
March 16, 2024: Comment Deadline for Medicare Part D Guidance Part 2 – Guidance to help Medicare Part D enrollees manage drug costs, PART 2. Find details at https://www.cms.gov/files/document/medicare-prescription-payment-plan-draft-part-two-guidance.pdf.
April 16-17, 2024: CMS NTP Understanding Medicare 2-Day Webinar – Find more information and register at https://cmsnationaltrainingprogram.cms.gov/live-events.
March 19, 2024: CMS EQRS New User Training – Find details and register at https://mycrownweb.org/pcw_lems/march-2024-new-user-training/.
Final CMS Guidance to help Medicare Part D enrollees manage drug costs – https://www.cms.gov/training-education/medicare-learning-network/newsletter/2024-03-07-mlnc#_Toc160622795.
Current Medicare Status of Blood Tests for Organ Transplant Rejection – https://www.cms.gov/training-education/medicare-learning-network/newsletter/2024-03-07-mlnc#_Toc160622796.
March 6, 2024: Quality Counts, Safety Matters: Prioritizing Patient Safety Through Quality Measurement webinar presented by AHRQ, CDC, CMS, and VHA, 9am PDT. Register at https://www.zoomgov.com/webinar/register/WN_VvIWfiWITNuOhxfx5TpuyQ#/registration.
March 9 and 16, 2024: Donate Life Northwest workshop for waitlisted patients and support persons on how to Find a Living Donor (2 sessions, one workshop). Find details and a registration link at https://www.donatelifenw.org/civicrm/event/info?reset=10050&id=10050.
March 10-16, 2024: Patient Safety Awareness Week, the Center for Patient Safety provides more information and offers a free Tool Kit at https://www.centerforpatientsafety.org/patient-safety-awareness-week-psaw.
March 12, 2024: Donate Life NW New Ambassador Orientation: Online, details and registration at https://www.donatelifenw.org/civicrm/event/info?reset=10079&id=10079.
March 14, 2024: Donate Life Community Partner Webinar with NW Kidney Kids, Online, details and registration at https:www.donatelifenw.org/civicrm/event/info?reset=10102&id=10102.
March 21, 2024: Quality Counts, Safety Matters: Prioritizing Patient Safety Through Quality Measurement webinar presented by AHRQ, CDC, CMS, and VHA, 11am PDT. Repeat of March 6 webinar. Register at https://www.zoomgov.com/webinar/register/WN_R9TrgY9hTg6H91ONvzYxwA#/registration.
On February 28, 2024 at noon PST, the National Kidney Foundation will be hosting a Lunch-and-Learn session for dialysis professionals – Facility Administrators, Medical Directors, Nurse Managers, Social Workers – on the topic of The Evaluation: What Transplant Centers Want You to Know. Earn 1 free CE/CME credit for attending. Find full details and register at https://cme.kidney.org/spa/courses/resource/r600-the-evaluation-what-transplant-centers-want-you-to-know/mooc/home/default or the abbreviated link on the poster below. Direct any questions you may have to celine.koh@kidney.org.
KCER has created a postcard-sized checklist for keeping track of how current your Emergency Preparedness supplies are. We’ve reproduced the cards below. You’ll want to perform this check periodically, so put a date on the card when you fill it out, so you’ll know when you last verified that everything’s up to date.
CMS has released Advanced Notice of revised Medicare Part D drug coverage Payment Policies, and will accept comments on the revisions until March 1, 2024. Find details at https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-sheets/2025-medicare-advantage-and-part-d-advance-notice-fact-sheet (sections 17ff) and https://www.cms.gov/files/document/draft-cy-2025-part-d-redesign-program-instruction.pdf.
A Fact Sheet on the draft Redesign Program Instructions (https://www.cms.gov/files/document/draft-cy2025-part-d-redesign-program-instruction-fact-sheet.pdf) summarizes the changes as:
The changes respond to the provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022. The CY2025 Advanced Notice also applied to Medicare Advantage Plans.
CMS will present a September 7, 2023 webinar on Medicaid and CHIP Renewals: Reaching Out to American Indian and Alaska Native Populations. RSVP at https://cms.zoomgov.com/webinar/register/WN_-uRUL8P0QFW2_iRCvfqT8g. For more information and toolkits, including links to English and Spanish resources on Reaching Kids and Families, Disenrolled patients, and Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, Hispanic/Latino, Black American, Aging & Disability, and Rural Populations, see https://www.medicaid.gov/resources-for-states/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19/unwinding-and-returning-regular-operations-after-covid-19/medicaid-and-chip-renewals-outreach-and-educational-resources/index.html.
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