Concurrent Care for Comfort Act
Medicare Coverage for Dialysis During Hospice Care
This bill is currently in the early stages of the legislative process and is being reviewed by two House committees. It is actively moving forward as it waits for these committees to finish their work. There are no upcoming votes scheduled at this time.
Legislative Progress
This bill has support from both parties and addresses a clear problem in the healthcare system, but many bills like this take time to move through committees.
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.
Milestones
Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Sent to a congressional committee for expert review. The committee decides whether this bill moves forward.
Introduced in House
The bill was officially filed and given a number. It now enters the legislative queue.
Votes
No votes have been recorded for this legislation yet.
News
No related news coverage found for this legislation yet.
Source Information
Document Type
Congressional Bill
Official Title
Concurrent Care for Comfort Act
Data Sources
Sponsor
Cosponsors
(1)Analysis generated by AI. Always verify with official sources.