For tens of thousands of U.S. dialysis patients who are in great financial need, the American Kidney Fund provides a lifeline of care. Our Health Insurance Premium Program (HIPP) is a charitable premium assistance program, and it helps more than 70,000 low-income dialysis patients each year to maintain their health insurance coverage. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) set forth guidelines nearly two decades ago allowing us to operate this vital program, and today, we are asking HHS to take a simple action that will enable us to continue running this program in the manner that is best for patients.
Some insurance companies no longer want to accept payments from organizations like AKF and other charities. Unclear, ambiguous guidance from the federal government has resulted in insurance companies feeling emboldened to reject health insurance assistance. We are asking the HHS Secretary to clarify this guidance so that insurance carriers will continue accepting payments from independent, public charities like AKF. Requiring insurance carriers to accept our payments on behalf of patients will ensure that no dialysis patient loses health coverage due to non-payment.
If you take action and are not already a member of the American Kidney Fund's Advocacy Network, you will become a member of the Advocacy Network and begin to receive periodic updates and communications about policy issues affecting kidney patients.
