DaVita® Medical Insights

Recent News: Senate Bill to Improve Accreditation Process for Dialysis Clinics

Most health care providers are able to seek certification from third party accreditors—except for dialysis clinics, which often have to wait months or even years to receive accreditation to bill Medicare for ESRD services. However, that may change with a bill introduced in the U.S. Senate on August 3. The bill, S.1729, known as the Dialysis Access Improvement Act, would give dialysis clinics the option to seek certification from an approved third party. It is the companion bill to H.R. 3166—part of the Medicare Part B Improvement Act, which has passed the House and now only needs to pass the Senate to be signed into law by the president.

Senator Mark Warner (D-VA), who introduced S.1729 with Senator Pat Roberts (R-KS), said the bipartisan legislation “will allow dialysis care facilities to utilize the same accreditation processes available to other Medicare providers to avoid unnecessary delays while still guaranteeing quality care.”

This is an important step to better serve our most vulnerable patients. Join me in supporting this critical legislation and bring the kidney care community in line with other Medicare providers.

Robert Provenzano, MD, FACP, FASN

Robert Provenzano, MD, FACP, FASN

In addition to his roles as chief medical officer at Nephrology Practice Solutions and vice president of medical affairs at DaVita Kidney Care, Robert Provenzano, MD, is a clinical professor of medicine at Wayne State University School of Medicine in Detroit, where he earned his medical degree. He completed his fellowship training at Henry Ford Hospital and served as the chief of the nephrology, hypertension & transplantation section and director of nephrology research at St. John Hospital and Medical Center in Detroit. Dr. Provenzano is former president of the Renal Physicians Association and chair of the National Kidney Foundation of Michigan. He is also former CEO of St. Clair Specialty Physicians, PC, a multistate nephrology practice. He has published extensively on kidney care business models and is the chief medical officer of Nephrology Practice Solutions (NPS), a national kidney care management company affiliated with DaVita that oversees owned and managed practices. Twitter: @DrBobPro