Pending Dialysis-related Legislation

FEDERAL LEGISLATION 115th CONGRESS (2017-2018)

H 1 - Tax Cuts and Jobs Act
This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to reduce tax rates and modify policies, credits, and deductions for individuals and businesses.

Text: H 1
Summary & Status: H 1

H 6 - SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act
Substance Use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment for Patients and Communities Act or the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act.

Text: H 6
Summary & Status: H 6

S 115 - Veterans Transplant Coverage Act
This bill authorizes the Department of Veterans Affairs to provide for an operation on a live donor to carry out a transplant procedure for an eligible veteran, notwithstanding that the live donor may not be eligible for VA health care. The VA shall furnish to such a donor any care or services that may be required before and after such procedure.

Text: S 115
Summary & Status: S 115

H 154 - Of inquiry requesting the President of the United States and directing the Secretary of Health and Human Services to transmit certain information to the House of Representatives relating to plans to repeal or replace the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and the health-related measures of the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010

Text: H 154
Summary & Status: H 154

S 191 - Patient Freedom Act of 2017
To improve patient choice by allowing States to adopt market-based alternatives to the Affordable Care Act that increase access to affordable health insurance and reduce costs while ensuring important consumer protections and improving patient care.

Text: S 191
Summary & Status: S 191

H 212 - Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that any legislation to repeal the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act should include a replacement for such Act that includes certain health care consumer protections

Text: H 212
Summary & Status: H 212

H 215 - Expressing the fact that the House of Representatives supports the system for prescription drug coverage provided under part D of the Medicare program and believes that changes to such system should not be part of the American Health Care Act of 2017

Text: H 215
Summary & Status: H 215

S 222 - Obamacare Replacement Act
To repeal provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and provide private health insurance reform, and for other purposes.

Text: S 222
Summary & Status: S 222

H 676 - Expanded & Improved Medicare For All Act
To provide for comprehensive health insurance coverage for all United States residents, improved health care delivery, and for other purposes.

Text: H 676
Summary & Status: H 676

H 878 & S 204 - Right to Try Act of 2017
To authorize the use of unapproved medical products by patients diagnosed with a terminal illness in accordance with State law, and for other purposes.

Text: H 878 & S 204
Summary & Status: H 878 & S 204

S 925 - Veterans E-Health and Telemedicine Support Act of 2017
To amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the ability of health care professionals to treat veterans through the use of telemedicine, and for other purposes.

Text: S 925
Summary & Status: S 925

H 1072 - Obamacare Replacement Act
To repeal provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and provide private health insurance reform, and for other purposes.

Text: H 1072
Summary & Status: H 1072

H 1270 - Living Donor Protection Act of 2017
To promote and protect from discrimination living organ donors.

Text: H 1270
Summary & Status: H 1270

H 1628 - American Health Care Act of 2017
To provide for reconciliation pursuant to title II of the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2017.

Text: H 1628
Summary & Status: H 1628

S 1729 - A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for independent accreditation for dialysis facilities and assurances of high quality surveys.

Text: S 1729
Summary & Status: S 1729

S 1804 - Medicare for All Act of 2017
To establish a Medicare-for-all national health insurance program.

Text: H 1804
Summary & Status: H 1804

H 1876 - Good Samaritan Health Professionals Act of 2017
To amend the Public Health Service Act to limit the liability of health care professionals who volunteer to provide health care services in response to a disaster.

Text: H 1876
Summary & Status: H 1876

S 1890 - Chronic Kidney Disease Improvement in Research and Treatment Act of 2017
To improve the understanding of, and promote access to treatment for, chronic kidney disease, and for other purposes.

Text: H 1890
Summary & Status: H 1890

H 1892 - Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018
To amend title 4, United States Code, to provide for the flying of the flag at half-staff in the event of the death of a first responder in the line of duty.

Text: H 1892
Summary & Status: H 1892

H 1933 & S 761 - Health Care Options Act of 2017
A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow individuals to receive a premium assistance credit for insurance not purchased on an Exchange, and for other purposes.

Text: H 1933 & S 761
Summary & Status: H 1933 & S 761

H 1938 - President-Elect Release of Tax Return Act of 2017
To require the President-elect to submit copies to the Committee on House Administration of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Rules and Administration of the Senate of the Federal income tax returns filed for the 4 most recent taxable years, and for other purposes.

Text: H 1938
Summary & Status: H 1938

H 2051 - FAST Generics Act of 2017
To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to ensure that eligible product developers have competitive access to approved drugs and licensed biological products, so as to enable eligible product developers to develop and test new products, and for other purposes.

Text: H 2051
Summary & Status: H 2051

H 2392 - Nurse Staffing Standards for Hospital Patient Safety and Quality Care Act of 2017
To amend the Public Health Service Act to establish direct care registered nurse-to-patient staffing ratio requirements in hospitals, and for other purposes.

Text: H 2392
Summary & Status: H 2392

S 2446 - Safe Staffing for Nurse and Patient Safety Act of 2018
A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for patient protection by establishing safe nurse staffing levels at certain Medicare providers, and for other purposes.

Text: S 2446
Summary & Status: S 2446

H 2644 & S 1890 - Chronic Kidney Disease Improvement in Research and Treatment Act of 2017
To improve the understanding of, and promote access to treatment for, chronic kidney disease, and for other purposes.

Text: H 2644 & S 1890
Summary & Status: H 2644 & S 1890

H 3168 - To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide continued access to specialized Medicare Advantage plans for special needs individuals, and for other purposes.

Text: H 3168
Summary & Status: H 3168

H 3178 - Medicare Part B Improvement Act of 2017
To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to improve the delivery of home infusion therapy and dialysis and the application of the Stark rule under the Medicare program, and for other purposes.

Text: H 3178
Summary & Status: H 3178

H 3635 & S 794 - Local Coverage Determination Clarification Act of 2017
To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act in order to improve the process whereby medicare administrative contractors issue local coverage determinations under the Medicare program, and for other purposes.

Text: H 3635 & S 794
Summary & Status: H 3635 & S 794

H 3867 - To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to create care management demonstration programs for chronic kidney disease under the Medicare program, and for other purposes.

Text: H 3867
Summary & Status: H 3867

H 3976 - Access to Marketplace Insurance Act
To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to improve the delivery of home infusion therapy and dialysis and the application of the Stark rule under the Medicare program, and for other purposes.

Text: H 3976
Summary & Status: H 3976

H 4143 &S 2065 - Dialysis PATIENTS Demonstration Act of 2017
To establish a demonstration program to provide integrated care for Medicare beneficiaries with end-stage renal disease, and for other purposes.

Text: H 4143 & S 2065
Summary & Status: H 4143 & S 2065

H 4579 & S 870 - Creating High-Quality Results and Outcomes Necessary to Improve Chronic (CHRONIC) Care Act of 2017
To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to implement Medicare payment policies designed to improve management of chronic disease, streamline care coordination, and improve quality outcomes without adding to the deficit.

Text: H 4579 & S 870
Summary & Status: H 4579 & S 870

H 5223 - To direct the Secretary of Labor to issue an occupational safety and health rule that requires covered health care employers to adopt a comprehensive workplace violence prevention plan and for other purposes.

Text: H 5223
Summary & Status: H 5223

Top of Page

	Union Submits More Signatures for Dialysis Profits Ballot Initiative in Ohio - Article from Healio. - August 6, 2018
	Ohio Kidney Dialysis Amendment Backers Have Spent $4.1 Million So Far To Get on the Ballot - Article from Cleveland.com. - August 1, 2018
	Ohio Kidney Dialysis Proposal, Not yet on the Ballot, Faces First Court Challenge - Article from Cleveland.com. - July 26, 2018
	Ohio Ballot Initiative on Dialysis Fails To Meet Signature Requirements - Article from The Columbus Dispatch. - July 23, 2018 "While the Kidney Dialysis Patient Protection Amendment did not meet the 305,591 signature requirement, according to Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted's office, petitioners will have a 10-day period to gain the additional 9,511 signatures required."
	California Firefighters Endorse Prop. 8; Say it Will Improve Dialysis Patient Care, Protect Taxpayers - Press release for Californians for Kidney Dialysis Patient Protection. Sponsored by Service Employees International Union—United Healthcare Workers West. - July 23, 2018
	New Study of Prop 8 Predicts Clinic Closures If Passed - (42-page pdf) Report from Berkeley Research Group via the NoProp8.com web site. Related press release. - July 23, 2018
	Dialysis Firms' Profits Are Obscene. What Will Happen If California Tries To Cap Them? - Article from Los Angeles Times. - July 20, 2018
	Mandating Staffing Ratios in Hemodialysis Facilities — California SB 349 and Unintended Consequences - Free, Full-Text Articles from the Clinical Journal of the American Society Of Nephrology. - July 2018
	Union Gives Up on Dialysis Ballot Initiative in Arizona - Article from The Daily Courier. - July 16, 2018
	Administration Freezes Program That Pays Billions To Insurers To Help Stabilize Health Law Marketplaces - News summary from Kaiser Health News. - July 9, 2018
	Ohio Renal Association Statement on Proposed Constitutional Amendment (Ballot Initiative) on Dialysis - (2-page pdf) Press release of the Ohio Renal Association web site. - July 4, 2018
	Signatures Submitted for Ballot Initiative to Improve Dialysis Care in Ohio - Article from Cleveland.com. - July 4, 2018
	Amended Version of SB 1156 Passed by California Assembly Health Committee - Press release from the American Kidney Fund. - June 27, 2018
	Michigan Governor Signs Bill On Medicaid Work Requirements - June 22, 2018
	Union, Dialysis Providers Disagree about Discussing California Ballot Initiative with Patients - Article from Healio (no direct links due to browser Return/Back failures). - June 20, 2018
	CalPERS Endorses California Ballot Initiative to Improve Dialysis Patient Care, Reports 'Kidney Patients Deserve Better' - Press release from Kidney Patients Deserve Better. California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS) staff report (6-page pdf). - June 20, 2018
	California High Court Rejects Attempt to Remove Dialysis Initiative from November Ballot - Article from Becker's Hospital Review. - June 19, 2018
	RPA Letter Opposing the California State Ballot Initiative on Dialysis Reimbursement - News release and letter (2-page pdf) from the Renal Physician's Association. - June 18, 2018
	National Kidney Foundation Statement on the California Ballot Initiative, The Fair Pricing for Dialysis Act - Press release. - June 15, 2018
	Poll: Ohio Voters Support Proposed Dialysis Clinic Ballot Initiative - Posting from the WKTN Radio blog. Related article from The Columbus Dispatch (registration required). - June 14, 2018
	Dialysis Patients, Chronic Disease Representatives, Renal Workers and Others Urge California Assembly Health to Oppose SB 1156 - Press release from the American Kidney Fund. - June 11, 2018
	California Secretary of State Announces that Initiative #1810, Related to Kidney Dialysis Clinics, Has Enough Signatures To Be Eligible for the November Ballot - (2-page pdf). Initiative Ballotpedia page. Opposition (led by Fresenius and DaVita) press release. Articles from CALmatters and Los Angeles Times. - May 30, 2018
	Virginia Legislature Sends Medicaid Expansion to Governor - Article from The Hill. - May 30, 2018
	Dialysis Profits Bill Goes before California Senate Hearing - Article from Healio. - May 15, 2018
	National Kidney Foundation Statement on Legislation Passed in Colorado to Provide Paid Leave for Living Organ Donors - Press release. - May 11, 2018
	California Physicians Oppose November Proposition That Would Put Dialysis Patients' Lives at Risk - Press release from the California Medical Association. - April 26, 2018
	Bill Restricting Third-Party Premium Payment for Patients with ESRD Wins California Senate Committee Approval - Article from Healio. - April 19, 2018
	Dialysis Patients Sign Up For November Ballot Fight (in California) - Article from California Healthline. - April 6, 2018
	Dialysis Clinic Revenue Would Be Capped under California Ballot Measure - Article from San Francisco Chronicle. - April 5, 2018
	Dialysis Industry on Alert As California Union Pushes for Reimbursement Cap - (Registration required) Article from Modern Healthcare. - April 4, 2018 "The ballot initiative would likely drive DaVita out of California entirely — at least a $300 million loss, Baird said. However, Baird noted that the dialysis industry has the bigger lobbying war-chest compared to the union and speculated that DaVita and Fresenius will either defeat both the staffing legislation and the ballot measure, challenge them in court or negotiate another resolution with the union."
	Dialysis Patient Advocacy Groups Join Coalition of Doctors, Nurses, Dialysis Caregivers, and Veterans to Oppose The Deeply Flawed Dialysis (California) Proposition That Puts Vulnerable Dialysis Patients at Severe Risk - Press release from Patients and Caregivers to Protect Dialysis Patients. - April 3, 2018
	California Bill Targets Profiteering In Addiction Treatment, Dialysis Industries - Article from Kaiser Health News. - March 28, 2018
	Idaho First in Nation to Pass Living Donor Protections - Press release from the National Kidney Foundation.. - March 20, 2018
	California's Tax On Millionaires Yields Big Benefits For People With Mental Illness, Study Finds - Article from Kaiser Health News.. - March 14, 2018
	Advocates Launch $3.5 Million National Ad Campaign to Expose Problems in Dialysis Industry - Press release from SEIU–UHW West (Service Employees International Union-United Healthcare Workers). TV ads for this campaign. - February 5, 2018 "The paid media campaign is part of a larger effort to improve patient care at dialysis clinics through a (California) ballot initiative and state legislation (SB 349)." Opposition web page funded by the California Dialysis Council, DaVita, and Fresenius Medical Care North America. Article on the union's activities from Politico.com.
	California Ballot Measures Targets Colorado Dialysis Company DaVita - Articles from The Denver Post and Colorado Politics. - November 27, 2017
	Maine Governor Says He Will Not Expand Medicaid despite Vote - Article from Reuters. - November 8, 2017
	Maine Approves Medicaid Expansion - Articles from NPR and The Hill. - November 8, 2017
	California Patients, Workers Push Bill to Reform Dialysis Treatment - Article from Public News Service. - September 8, 2017
	Freseno Patients, Providers Rally for California Dialysis Bill - August 25, 2017
	"Real Threat to Dialysis Patients Comes from an Unexpected Place" - Op-ed from The San Diego Union-Tribune Editorial Board. - August 11, 2017 Editor's note: The San Diego Union-Tribune owners are "pro-conservative, pro-business, pro-military."
	Statewide Ballot Initiative Filed in California to Improve Dialysis Patient Care, Reports SEIU-UHW - Press release. Articles from Los Angeles Times and The Sacramento Bee. - August 9, 2017
	GOP States Move To Cut Medicaid - Article from The Hill. - August 3, 2017
	NAACP Endorses Dialysis Patient Care State (California) Legislation - Article from Compton Herald. - July 23, 2017
	Flawed Assumptions: Ethical Problems With Proposed Presumed Consent Legislation - Free, full-text, Early View letter to the editor from American Journal of Transplantation. - July 20, 2017
	California Assembly Bill 251 Calls for Rebates from Dialysis Providers - This bill is scheduled for a hearing before the Senate Health Committe on July 12. - June 29, 2017 Section 1 (c): "Dialysis clinics in California frequently charge private health insurance plans four or more times as much, and sometimes 15 to 20 times as much, as they charge Medicare for the very same dialysis treatment, but do not spend sufficient funds on ensuring quality patient care."
	Bill to Improve Dialysis Patient Care Passes California Assembly Health Committee - Article from Los Angeles Sentinel. - June 29, 2017
	Targeting Unconscionable Prescription-Drug Prices — Maryland's Anti–Price-Gouging Law - Free, Full-Text, Online First Perspective Pieces from the New England Journal Of Medicine - June 7, 2017
	Government-Run Universal Health Care Wins Vote in California Senate - Press release from National Nurses United. Article from The Sacramento Bee. News summary from Kaiser Health News. - June 1, 2017
	Bill to Enact Major Reforms in Dialysis Patient Care Passes California State Senate, Reports SEIU-UHW - Press release. Article from The Sacramento Bee. - May 31, 2017
	DaVita Fires Employee One Day After Speaking at State Capitol (Sacramento) in Support of Bill to Improve Patient Care - News release from the SEIU-UHW. - May 25, 2017
	A California Bill Could Totally Disrupt The Dialysis Industry - Article from The Huffington Post. - May 25, 2017
	See Comments Section of this Article: California Bill Addresses Safety Concerns at Dialysis Clinics - Article from Kaiser Health News via Medscape Nephrology. - May 23, 2017
	California Bill Addresses Safety Concerns At Dialysis Clinics - Article from Kaiser Health News. - May 19, 2017
	California Bill Addresses Safety Concerns at Dialysis Clinics - Article from Kaiser Health News via California Healthline. - May 11, 2017
	California Lawmakers Consider Dumping Health Insurers - AP article. Press release from National Nurses United. - April 27, 2017
	California First to Address Dialysis Staffing Crisis - (Registration required, but free.) Article from Medscape Nephrology. - April 21, 2017
	California Proposes Bill To Regulate Dialysis Clinics - Article from Modern Healthcare (registration required). - March 30, 2017
	Dialysis Centers: California Bill Proposes to Improve Staffing, Inspections - Article from The Mercury News. - March 29, 2017
	California Dialysis Centers May Receive Quality Boost under New Legislation - Article from San Francisco Examiner. - February 18, 2017
	Texas Judge Upends Effort To Limit Charity Funding For Kidney Care - Kaiser Health News article via NPR. - February 14, 2016
	Prominent Democratic Consultants Sign Up to Defeat Single Payer in Colorado - Article from The Intercept. - May 3, 2016 "The anti-single-payer effort is funded almost entirely by health care industry interests, including $500,000 from Anthem Inc., the state's largest health insurance provider; $40,000 from Cigna, another large health insurer that is current in talks to merge with Anthem; $75,000 from Davita, the dialysis company; $25,000 from Delta Dental, the largest dental insurer in the state; and $100,000 from SCL Health, the faith-based hospital chain."
	In Rural States Policy Changes To Improve Access To Home Dialysis Are Vital - Posting from the Health Affairs blog. - April 12, 2016
	Proposed North Carolina Bill Could Make Blue Cross Accept Third-Party Payments for Dialysis - Article and video from WNCN.com. - December 21, 2016
	Colorado To Vote on Universal Healthcare - Article from The Hill. - November 9, 2015
	California Gov. Brown Signs Aid-in-Dying Bill Into Law - Article from KQED and Kaiser Health News. - October 5, 2015
	Calif. Lawmakers Approve Bill Requiring Drug Labeling In 5 Foreign Languages - Article from Kaiser Health News. - September 11, 2015
	California Lawmakers Pass Right-to-Die Measure - September 11, 2015
	Right-to-Try Laws - Health policy brief from Health Affairs. - March 5, 2015 "Some states have passed legislation intended to expand access to experimental treatments for patients with serious or life-threatening conditions."
	Bill to End Organ Transplant Denials for Medical Marijuana Patients Filed in California - Article from The Daily Chronic. - February 12, 2015

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	Advocacy & Government Relations from the National Kidney Foundation web site
	Kidney Care Partners web site