Chronic Kidney Disease Improvement in Research and Treatment Act of 2015

Bill: 114-hr-1130
Sponsor: Rep. Marino, Tom [R-PA-10]
Introduced: 2015-02-26 in the House
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Advisory bodies
Congressional oversight
Department of Health and Human Services
Digestive and metabolic diseases
Government studies and investigations
Health care costs and insurance
Health care coverage and access
Health information and medical records
Health personnel
Health programs administration and funding
Home and outpatient care
Medical education
Medical research
Medicare
Minority health
Research administration and funding
Student aid and college costs

Summary:
action_date: 2015-02-26
text: 

Chronic Kidney Disease Improvement in Research and Treatment Act of 2015

 
Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to revise Medicare payments for dialysis services provided to individuals with end stage renal disease (ESRD) and acute kidney injury. Extends the time period when a private health insurer, in determining benefits, cannot consider a group health insurance enrollee's ESRD or entitlement to Medicare coverage due to ESRD. Makes individuals with ESRD eligible for Medicare Advantage.
 
Allows dialysis facilities to provide kidney disease education services and allows physician assistants, nurse practitioners, or clinical nurse specialists to refer individuals to those services.
 
Requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish an ESRD Care Coordination program to provide higher Medicare payments to nephrologists, dialysis facilities, and other providers that reduce spending on ESRD by being part of a coordinated care organization.
 
Amends the Public Health Service Act to include dialysis as a service provided by the National Health Service Corps in health professional shortage areas. Makes nephrologists and non-physician practitioners who provide dialysis eligible for the National Health Service Corps Scholarship Program and Loan Repayment Program.
 Requires the Government Accountability Office to submit a report identifying gaps in chronic kidney disease research and comparing research funding to expenditures on disease treatment. Requires HHS to study the causes of kidney disease and efforts to treat kidney disease in disproportionately affected minority populations.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-03-27
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
action_date: 2015-02-27
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
action_date: 2015-02-26
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2015-02-26
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2015-02-26
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2015-02-26
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-02-26
text: Introduced in House