Renal Dialysis and its Financing.

TREATMENT of chronic kidney failure; HEMODIALYSIS; HEALTH services accessibility; HEMODIALYSIS patients; MEDICARE; COMORBIDITY; HEALTH insurance reimbursement; ATTITUDES toward illness; ECONOMICS

The incidence of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) and its associated comorbidities such as diabetes and hypertension continue to increase as the population ages. As most ESRD patients qualify for Medicare coverage, the U.S. government initiated reforms of the payment system for dialysis facilities in an effort to decrease expenditures associated with ESRD reimbursement. The effects of reduced reimbursement rates, bundled payment options, and quality incentives on the current dialysis system, including kidney dialysis units, physicians, and patients, are examined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]