Category Archives: Patients & Family

New April Events

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April 16-17, 2024 – Medicare National Training Program (NTP) Webinars on Understanding Medicare. April 16 covers enrollment, eligibility, SSA and CMS roles, Part A Hospital Insurance, Part B Medical Insurance, and Medigap policies. April 17 covers Part D Drug Coverage, Advantage Plans, and other useful information and resources. You may register for either or both days, at https://cmsnationaltrainingprogram.cms.gov/live-events?keys=understanding+Medicare. Previous webinars are recorded and may be found at https://cmsnationaltrainingprogram.cms.gov/past-events.

April 24, 2024: Webinar for Dialysis Professionals on Supporting Patients to Improve their Transplant Candidacy. Part of the NKF Navigating Transplant: A Guide to Empowering Your Patients series for FAs, MDs, Nurse Managers, Dietitians, and SWs. For more information and registration, see the poster below or https://cme.kidney.org/spa/courses/resource/r634-supporting-your-patients-to-be-the-best-psychosocial-candidate-for-transplant-/mooc/home/default. Direct questions to celine.koh@kidney.org.

April Events

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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.

More March Events – Transplant Financials and New CDC Kidney Website

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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.

Yet More March-April Events

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March 27, 2024: Medicaid/CHIPS Renewal Webinar on Recently Released Guidance and Resources for Partners. Note date revised from March 20, 2024. If your organization serves or interfaces with people that have health insurance through Medicaid or CHIP then this call is for YOU. Register at https://cms.zoomgov.com/webinar/register/WN_qma5AvyBQWCTB0vbNF3lTA. Send questions to PARTNERSHIP@cms.hhs.gov.

April 4, 2024: My Employment Options Webinar on Resumes that Get You Hired. Find details and registration at https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_wGjhcVlxQpaH35d3ODLnaA#/registration.

April is National Donate Life Month, including Living Donor Day April 3, Blue and Green Spirit Week April 6-12, Blue and Green Day April 12, Donor Appreciation Week April 8-12, Volunteer Appreciation Week April 15-19, Pediatric Transplant Week April 21-27, and Transplant Professionals Day April 24. Find more information, daily events, and Celebration/Promotion materials at https://www.donatelifenw.org/national-donate-life-month.

KDIGO has announced the publication of its 2024 Clinical Practice Guideline for CKD. Find more information and download from https://www.kidney-international.org/article/S0085-2538(23)00766-4/fulltext.

EQRS has announced modification of the Dialysis Facility Transplant Waitlist Dashboard to include a new column for Inactive Reason for temporarily inactive transplant candidates. For details see https://mycrownweb.org/2024/03/dialysis-facility-transplant-waitlist-dashboard-update-new-inactive-reason-column-added/.

More March-April Events

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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 Events and Notices

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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.

FDA Warning – Rings/Watches Not Accurate Glucose Monitors

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The FDA has warned that “Smart” Rings and Watches that do not pierce the skin do not accurately measure blood sugar (glucose), even if they claim to do so. For people with diabetes, inaccurate blood glucose measurements can lead to errors in diabetes management, including taking the wrong dosage of medications that can quickly lead to mental confusion, coma, or death, within hours of the error.

For details, recommendations, and further instructions, see https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/safety-communications/do-not-use-smartwatches-or-smart-rings-measure-blood-glucose-levels-fda-safety-communication. Some smart watches are capable of reading remote signals from other implanted or skin-piercing devices that do accurately report blood sugar. The Warning does not apply to these.

February Events and Notices

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February 8, 2024: CMS NTP on Medicare Updates & Education Webinar, https://cmsnationaltrainingprogram.cms.gov/moodle/login/index.php.

February 20, 2024: EQRS New User Training, https://mycrownweb.org/pcw_lems/february-2024-new-user-training/.

New EQRS Facility Vaccination Dashboards: For instructions on use see https://mycrownweb.org/2024/01/new-eqrs-dashboard-facility-influenza-vaccination/ for Influenza Vaccines, and https://mycrownweb.org/2024/02/new-eqrs-dashboard-facility-pneumococcal-pneumonia-vaccination/ for Pneumococcal Pneumonia Vaccines.

CMS Has Published CY2024 QIP NHSN Data Entry Deadlines: In general, quarterly NHSN data on HD BSI, Dialysis Events, and HCP Vaccination is due three months after the end of each quarter. For details for 2024 see https://mycrownweb.org/education/nhsn-submission-deadlines-for-cy-2024-esrd-qip-data/, and for October-December 2023 see https://mycrownweb.org/2023/09/nhsn-submission-deadlines-for-calendar-year-2023/.

CMS Has Published Instructions for Annual Facility Surveys Forms 2744A and B: All Medicare-certified dialysis (2744A) and transplant (2744B) facilities must complete Form CMS-2744, the ESRD Medical Information System ESRD Facility Survey, providing a final count of all patients and treatments provided by the facility during the prior calendar year. Forms 2744 also includes important facility and patient demographic information, such as Medicare status, vocational rehabilitation, and facility staff counts. Note that facilities should first check with their Organization, as many ESRD Providers complete the 2744s at the Organization Level rather than the Facility Level. Note Also that 2744 submission deadlines and coordination are set by the ESRD Networks, here Comagine ESRD Network 16 at https://comagine.org/esrd. Find detailed Instructions for completing Forms 2744 at https://mycrownweb.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/2023-CMS-2744-Annual-Survey_Training-Aid_For-508ing_vFINAL508.pdf.

CMS Has Created a New Website Introducing Value-Based Care, at https://www.cms.gov/priorities/innovation-center/value-based-care-spotlight.

CMS Has Published the QIP Measures Manual and Technical Specs for CY2024. Find the ESRD Measures Manual for the 2024 Performance Period at https://www.cms.gov/files/document/esrd-measures-manual-v91.pdf, and the CY 2024 ESRD QIP Technical Measures Specifications at https://www.cms.gov/files/document/cy-2024-technical-measure-specifications.pdf.

CDC has updated their V-Safe Website to include Three New Vaccines, including maternal RSV vaccine, RSV vaccines for older adults, and 2023-2024 updated COVID-19 vaccines. V-Safe allows you to describe your own personal reactions to vaccines, in order to educate CDC and the public about what others might expect from their inoculations.  Find V-Safe, in English and Spanish, at https://vsafe.cdc.gov/, and information about how it works at https://blogs.cdc.gov/safehealthcare/help-promote-v-safe-to-vaccine-recipients/. Find details about the RSV vaccines at https://www.cdc.gov/rsv/clinical/index.html, and about the current COVID-19 vaccines at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/different-vaccines/overview-COVID-19-vaccines.html.

Emergency Preparedness Checklists – KCER

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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.

3/1 CY2025 Part D Revisions

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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:

  • A newly defined standard Part D benefit design consisting of three phases: annual deductible, initial coverage, and catastrophic coverage;
  • The lower annual out-of-pocket threshold of $2,000;
  • The sunset of the Coverage Gap Discount Program and establishment of the
    Manufacturer Discount Program; and
  • Changes to the liability of enrollees, sponsors, manufacturers, and CMS in the new
    standard Part D benefit design.

The changes respond to the provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022. The CY2025 Advanced Notice also applied to Medicare Advantage Plans.