End‐stage renal disease (ESRD) is one of the starkest examples of racial/ethnic disparities
in health. Racial/ethnic minorities are 1.5 to nearly 4 times more likely than their non …

Importance In 2011, the US Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) changed its
reimbursement policy for hemodialysis to a bundled comprehensive payment system that …

For years, erythropoiesis-stimulating agent (ESA) use among patients on dialysis was much
higher in the United States than in Europe or Japan. Sweeping changes to dialysis …

Background Optimal iron levels in patients on hemodialysis are currently unknown, and a
higher level than that for the healthy population is usually set for such patients considering …

Health and health care disparities are pervasive across the spectrum of kidney disease. 1
Kidney failure disproportionately affects Black and Hispanic persons, those with low …

Results The mean percentage of patients in each facility with cinacalcet prescription was
23% in June 2014 (median, 22%; interquartile range, 13%–30%). Adjusted for facility-level …

Introduction Nearly 80% of chronic renal failure patients have secondary
hyperparathyroidism. Cinacalcet is used to lower parathyroid hormone; however, it is …

Background & Rationale Medicare's 2011 prospective payment system (PPS) was
introduced to curb overuse of separately billable injectable drugs. After epoietin, intravenous …

Since August 2010, the DOPPS (Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study) Practice
Monitor (DPM) has provided thrice-annual updates covering many aspects of US …

Background In 2011, inclusion of injectable medications into an expanded ESKD payment
bundle prompted concerns that dialysis facilities facing higher costs might close, disrupting …