Tampa, Fla., June 27, 2007 – On Tuesday, June 26, 2007, the American Association of Patients (AAKP) testified before the House Ways & Means Subcommittee on Health about ensuring kidney patients receive safe and appropriate anemia management care, along with other important patient quality of care issues.

Subcommittee Chairman Pete Stark (D-CA) scheduled the hearing to listen to testimony on safety concerns regarding the dosing of erythropoiesis stimulating agents (ESAs), variations in utilization of ESAs across providers and reimbursement issues. "My priority for Medicare ESRD policy is to ensure patient safety while also protecting taxpayers from unnecessary expenditures," stated Chairman Stark in announcing the hearing. "Health risks associated with higher doses and well-documented flaws in a payment system that encourages higher dosing highlights that this issue is ripe for re-examination. We must do better for our ESRD beneficiaries and for the taxpayers."

AAKP Executive Director and CEO, Kris Robinson, told the committee AAKP supports achieving a hemoglobin level of 11 to 12 grams per deciliter, as indicated by the FDA label for ESAs, but added, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ (CMS) monitoring policy is somewhat out of sync with where the FDA is and where the mainstream medical community is.

"Although each case is different and there will always be outliers, from a patient perspective there is very little medical reason for a patient to remain at levels above 13 grams, especially in light of the current literature citing safety issues." AAKP was the only patient group invited before the hearing. Robinson went on to stress AAKP’s strong belief that a physician and patient must be permitted to decide a care plan best suited for that patient.

Studies show ESAs dosing levels increased dramatically between 2000 and 2004, with weekly averages near 4,000 units. Medicare spending for ESAs increased by 17 percent from 2003 to 2004 alone, up to $1.8 billion. Spending on ESAs per person per month is now nearly one-half of the monthly cost for dialysis.

"The hearing was sort of a full circle for AAKP," says AAKP President Bobbi Wager. "Thirty-five years ago, then AAKP Vice President Shep Glazer testified before the House Ways and Means Committee while dialyzing. A year later, legislation was passed to ensure dialysis patients receive Medicare coverage to pay for their treatment. We are proud the Committee recognizes AAKP was then and is today, the leading patient organization."

Robinson ended her testimony by leaving the Subcommittee with recommendations for quality enhancements for patients. They include:

• Medicare pay for patient education prior to ESRD
• Establishing a standard of training for dialysis technicians
• Medicare coverage for home dialysis

Click here to read AAKP’s testimony before the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Health. You can also call the AAKP National office at (800) 749-AAKP for more information.