Congress increases dialysis services composite rate 1.6 percent

WASHINGTON --In the waning days of the 109th Congress, lawmakers scrambled to approve legislation this weekend that will, among other things, increase the composite rate for dialysis services 1.6 percent by April 1, 2007.

In addition, the legislation also requires the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to submit a report about home dialysis costs to Congress by Jan.1, 2009.

The new dialysis-related legislation passed as part of a larger bill called the Tax Relief and Health Care Act of 2006, H.R. 6111. It passed the U.S. House of Representatives Friday by a vote of 367-45, and the Senate approved the bill early Saturday by a vote of 79-9. It was sent to President Bush, who is expected to sign it into law.

According to the legislation, the GAO report must report on the costs for home dialysis treatment and patient training for home hemodialysis as well as peritoneal dialysis. The GAO report will also make recommendations for payment methodology of such services.

In addition to the dialysis-related provisions, H.R. 6111 was loaded with a package of tax breaks, has new language regarding medical errors and quality reporting, and will also expand domestic offshore oil and natural gas drilling in the Gulf of Mexico.

Click HERE to read the entire bill.

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