Renal Physicians Association

ASSIST IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF NATIONAL POLICY AFFECTING RENAL PHYSICIANS AND THEIR PATIENTS.

HEALTH CARE PAYMENT -- RPA ADDRESSES MEDICARE, MEDICAID, AND PRIVATE SECTOR HEALTH CARE FINANCING ISSUES. RPA LEADERS MEET WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF THE CENTERS FOR MEDICARE AND MEDICAID SERVICES AND THE CARRIER MEDICAL DIRECTORS TO ADDRESS CONCERNS ABOUT DISCREPANCIES IN LOCAL CARRIER POLICIES, DOCUMENTATION REQUIREMENTS, AND APPARENT TRENDS IN PAYMENT DENIALS. RPA MONITORS THE MEDICARE PAYMENT ADVISORY COMMISSION (MEDPAC), AS WELL AS CONGRESSIONAL HEALTH CARE FINANCING ACTIVITIES, AND SERVES AS A RESOURCE ON RENAL-RELATED ISSUES. AS AN ACTIVE PARTICIPANT ON THE AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION'S RELATIVE VALUE UPDATE COMMITTEE (RUC), PRACTICE EXPENSE ADVISORY COMMITTEE (PEAC), AND CPT EDITORIAL PANEL, RPA WORKS TO ASSURE THAT WORK VALUES FOR NEPHROLOGY SERVICES ARE APPROPRIATELY DETERMINED AND THAT CPT CODES ACCURATELY REFLECT NEPHROLOGY CLINICAL PRACTICE. FINALLY, RPA TRACKS PROBLEMS RELATED TO REIMBURSEMENT FOR NEPHROLOGY SERVICES AND PAYMENT DENIALS EXPERIENCED BY MEMBERS TO DETERMINE TRENDS AND IDENTIFY AREAS WHERE RPA NEEDS TO TAKE ACTION.

QUALITY IMPROVEMENT -- RPA IS COMMITTED TO ENSURING QUALITY CARE FOR PATIENTS WITH RENAL DISEASE. THE ASSOCIATION WORKS CLOSELY WITH THE CENTERS FOR MEDICARE AND MEDICAID SERVICES (CMS), THE FORUM OF ESRD NETWORKS, AND THE AGENCY FOR HEALTH CARE RESEARCH AND QUALITY (AHRQ) TO DEVELOP POLICIES AND PROCEDURES THAT RESULT IN AN EFFECTIVE QUALITY ASSESSMENT AND IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM. RPA DEVELOPS CLINICAL PRACTICE GUIDELINES AND PHYSICIAN PERFORMANCE MEASURES TO IMPROVE THE DELIVERY OF QUALITY KIDNEY CARE TO PATIENTS. THE ASSOCIATION COORDINATES THESE EFFORTS WITH OTHER ORGANIZED MEDICAL GROUPS AS WELL AS AHRQ AND CMS. PATIENT SAFETY IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE RPA PHYSICIAN-PATIENT EQUATION. THROUGH RPA'S EFFORTS IN QUALITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY, PATIENT SAFETY HAS BEEN HIGHLIGHTED AS AN IMPORTANT PROGRAM INITIATIVE.

RESEARCH -- RPA PROMOTES ADEQUATE FUNDING FOR BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH ON KIDNEY DISEASE BY THE NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH, SPECIFICALLY THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF DIABETES AND DIGESTIVE AND KIDNEY DISEASES (NIDDK). RPA SUPPORTS MEDICAL TREATMENT EFFECTIVENESS AND OUTCOMES ASSESSMENT RESEARCH RELATING TO KIDNEY DISEASE AND ADVOCATES FUNDING FOR THIS THROUGH AHRQ. ALSO, RPA HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN GARNERING SUPPORT FOR THE CREATION, IMPLEMENTATION, AND MAINTENANCE OF THE U.S. RENAL DATA SYSTEM.

LIAISON AND COALITIONS -- RPA LEADERS REPRESENT THE SUBSPECIALTY OF NEPHROLOGY AS MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE OF DELEGATES OF THE AMA AND THE COUNCIL OF SUBSPECIALTY SOCIETIES OF THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS. RPA ACTIVELY PARTICIPATES WITH OTHER NEPHROLOGY ORGANIZATIONS AS A MEMBER OF KIDNEY CARE PARTNERS.