Tampa, Fla., May 27, 2009 – On Tuesday, May 26, 2009, the American Association of Kidney Patients (AAKP) Executive Director Kim Buettner and members of the AAKP Board of Directors met with staff members of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) regarding the passage of the Medicare Improvement for Patients and Providers Act (MIPPA) on chronic kidney disease (CKD) education. MIPPA provides for Medicare coverage of up to six sessions of education for individuals with CKD in stage 4. The education includes instructions on the management of co-morbidities, with the goal of delaying the need for dialysis and discussion on the treatment options available to patients for renal replacement therapy.

Buettner told members of CMS AAKP is appreciative of the legislation and outlined important factors the Association believes should be considered. “We want to make sure patients are at the forefront of the minds of CMS staff members when they are drafting these laws,” stated Buettner. “I think we were able to do that today by giving CMS staff members an opportunity to meet patients these laws will have a direct affect on.”

AAKP is a national non-profit organization directed by patients for patients. Started 40 years ago by six dialysis patients, AAKP’s mission is to raise awareness about kidney disease, educating patients, family members and the general public about the disease and its treatment options. In a letter, AAKP asked CMS to consider the following:

• The legislation calls for a discussion of available treatment options. AAKP encourages fair, objective and equal access for all patients and family members to information about all forms of treatment options, including but not limited to: home therapies (hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis), in-center hemodialysis (thrice weekly, nocturnal) and palliative care. 
• The education delivered should be in agreement with patient and family centered care guidelines, which encourages providing health care information at the level the patient and family chooses.
• AAKP also asks you to consider how often a patient can receive this course of education. Only receiving this series of education once during a lifetime is not appropriate for patients. A patient who receives this education before receiving a transplant could easily need additional education if the transplant fails years later.

To read the complete letter AAKP sent to CMS, visit the AAKP Web site or call (800) 749-AAKP for more information.

                                                                                        ###
AAKP is the voluntary, patient organization, which for 40 years, has been dedicated to improving the lives of fellow kidney patients and their families by helping them deal with the physical, emotional and social impact of kidney disease. The programs offered by AAKP inform and inspire patients and their families to better understand their condition, adjust more readily to their circumstances, and assume more normal, productive lives in their communities.