Pappas Leads Bipartisan Call on Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to Investigate Impact of Supply Chain Disruptions on Dialysis Services

Statement

Today, Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01), alongside Congressman Joe Wilson (SC-02), co-led a bipartisan call to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to investigate the impact of staffing shortages and supply chain disruptions on dialysis treatment.

"We have heard from constituents who have been warned about reduced treatment times, potentially jeopardizing their long-term health," the lawmakers wrote. "These issues are compounded by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the threat that it poses to dialysis patients. As we continue to weather the economic impacts of the ongoing pandemic, we must ensure that comprehensive health care remains accessible to all Americans."

"We therefore urge CMS to investigate the impact of supply chain disruptions and staff shortages on dialysis treatment and report to Congress as to how we can best assist you in overcoming these challenges so that no patient has to face avoidable disruptions to their care," they continued. "We have an obligation to act in a manner that safeguards the health and wellness of all Americans. Congress remains ready to assist CMS by whatever means necessary to protect the care and treatment of our dialysis patients."

The letter was led by Representative Chris Pappas (D-NH) and Representative Joe Wilson (R-SC) and signed by Don Bacon (R-NE), Sanford Bishop (D-GA), Henry Cuellar (D-TX), Tony Gonzales (R-TX), Vicente Gonzalez (D-TX), Ronny Jackson (R-TX), Chris Jacobs (R-NY), Tracey Mann (R-KS), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Aumua Amata Coleman Radewagen (R-AS), Deborah Ross (D-NC), Thomas Suozzi (D-NY) and William Timmons (R-SC). The National Kidney Foundation expressed support for the letter.

The full letter can be read here and below:

Dear Administrator Brooks-LaSure,

We write to you to share deeply concerning reports from our constituents who are concerned about access to lifesaving dialysis treatment. Dialysis treatment centers are experiencing increased staffing shortages, as well as supply chain issues for critical materials like dialysis fluid.

We have heard from constituents who have been warned about reduced treatment times, potentially jeopardizing their long-term health. These issues are compounded by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the threat that it poses to dialysis patients. As we continue to weather the economic impacts of the ongoing pandemic, we must ensure that comprehensive health care remains accessible to all Americans. We therefore urge CMS to investigate the impact of supply chain disruptions and staff shortages on dialysis treatment and report to Congress as to how we can best assist you in overcoming these challenges so that no patient has to face avoidable disruptions to their care.

Nearly 786,000 people in the United States are currently living with end-stage renal disease, more than 550,000 of whom are on dialysis.1 As the Department of Health and Human Services works toward its goals of reducing the number of Americans developing end-stage renal disease by 25 percent by 2030; increasing the number of Americans receiving in-home dialysis or receiving a transplant to 80 percent by 2025; and doubling the number of kidneys available for transplant by 2030, it is imperative dialysis care remains safe and reliable. We have an obligation to act in a manner that safeguards the health and wellness of all Americans. Congress remains ready to assist CMS by whatever means necessary to protect the care and treatment of our dialysis patients. So that Congress can assist CMS in returning staffing numbers and treatment times to their previous levels, we request a response to the following questions no later than May 18, 2022.

By what percentage have treatment center job vacancies increased since the beginning of the pandemic?
What challenges have dialysate suppliers expressed to your agency? Where along the supply chain are points of concern?
Which states or regions are experiencing the most significant dialysate and staff shortages?
Since December 1, 2021, how many dialysis patients have received decreased infusion times? What is the average time decrease experienced by these patients?
How many clinics have been forced to divert the patients elsewhere? What is the average increase in travel distance diverted patients are facing?
Have there been any observed decreases in overall dialysis patient outcomes during this timeframe?
If patients are concerned or do not believe their treatment is adequate, has the agency set in place a contact or resources to assist these patients?
Thank you for your attention to this request. We look forward to working with you on this important matter.

Sincerely,

Source