Concurrent Care for Comfort Act

Key Points

• This bill changes Medicare rules so people with kidney failure can continue getting dialysis even after they start hospice care. Right now, many patients have to choose between hospice and the dialysis treatments that keep them comfortable. This new plan allows them to have both at the same time.
• It specifically helps people with end-stage renal disease who are nearing the end of their lives. Under the new rules, Medicare would pay for palliative dialysis, which is treatment meant to manage pain and symptoms rather than try to cure the disease. This helps patients stay more comfortable in their final days.
• Currently, hospice programs receive a single daily payment to cover all of a patient's needs. Because dialysis is very expensive, many hospice programs cannot afford to provide it. This bill fixes that by paying for the dialysis separately, so the hospice program does not lose money by helping these patients.
• The plan would initially cover up to 10 dialysis sessions for each patient. It also covers transportation to and from the dialysis center. Starting in 2029, the government will look at the data to see if that 10-session limit should be changed to better help patients.
• If passed, these changes would begin in 2026. The government would set up a specific payment system to make sure clinics and hospitals are paid fairly for providing these comfort-focused treatments to people at home or in a facility.

Impact Analysis

Govbase has not yet run an impact analysis on this legislation.