This bill is about how Medicare pays for kidney disease medications. Right now, Medicare has a plan to change how it pays for oral medications (pills) that treat end-stage renal disease—a serious kidney condition where patients need dialysis or a transplant. Starting in 2025, Medicare was going to bundle these pill payments into one lump sum payment to dialysis facilities instead of paying for them separately. This bill delays that change until 2033, giving kidney disease patients and treatment facilities more time to adjust. The delay ends earlier if a new intravenous (IV) kidney drug becomes available and gets approved by the FDA. Essentially, kidney patients and the facilities that treat them will continue receiving the current payment system for several more years, which gives them stability and ensures these important medications remain accessible without disrupting how treatment centers operate.

Kidney PATIENT Act of 2023

Carter, Earl L. "Buddy"

Kidney Patient Access to Technologically Innovative and Essential Nephrology Treatments Act of 2023 or the Kidney PATIENT Act of 2023 This bill delays a change to the payment methodology under Medicare for oral drugs that are used to treat end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Under current regulations, beginning January 1, 2025, the Centers for Medicare &amp; Medicaid Services will incorporate payments for oral-only ESRD drugs into the ESRD prospective payment system rather than issuing separate payments to ESRD facilities. The bill delays implementation of this policy until January 1, 2033, or until an approved intravenous drug is available, whichever is earlier.