WASHINGTON, DC — Yesterday, members of the Dialysis Vascular Access Coalition (DVAC) from across the United States partnered with United Specialists for Patient Access (USPA) to connect with Capitol Hill policy makers during a virtual lobby day to discuss the importance of vascular access and the proposed changes to the 2023 Physician Fee Schedule (CMS-1770-P). 

DVAC members shared with lawmakers and staff that the repeated cuts to office-based specialists under the Physician Fee Schedule are contributing to office-based center closures, health system consolidation, and, as a result, undermining the Biden administration’s efforts to address health equity issues. Click here to read DVAC’s comment letter to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). 

USPA coalition partners to meet with over 100 offices during yesterday’s virtual day of action. 

Dr. Dean Preddie, DVAC’s policy chair, said, “Our message is being heard loud and clear. This is a simple equation: the ongoing cuts directed by CMS are forcing Vascular Access Centers (VACs) to close and making health inequity worse by limiting patient access to the gold-standard of vascular access care—a fistula. Our goals are to make sure that patients with end-stage renal disease receive the best quality of care no matter where they live and to highlight the fact that these repeated clinical labor cuts undermine that objective. Furthermore, these cuts will increase Medicare program costs and beneficiary copays.” 

Dr. Preddie continued, “We are asking members of Congress to reverse these cuts and focus on fundamental reform to the PFS.”