Basketball Legend and Kidney Disease Patient Alonzo Mourning to Hold Court on Capitol Hill for Patients with Kidney Failure 7/2/2004
From: John Bilotta, 301-351-0121, or Candace Hewitt, 301-661-0375, both for Kidney Care Partner Centers News Advisory: Basketball Legend and Kidney Disease Patient Alonzo Mourning to Hold Court on Capitol Hill for Patients with Kidney Failure Landmark Bi-Partisan Legislation to Modernize Medicare End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Benefit to be Highlighted at Capitol Hill Reception Visit with Patients at D.C. Dialysis Clinic Also Planned DETAILS: Basketball legend Alonzo Mourning will be on Capitol Hill Wednesday, July 7, at an event to support new legislation aimed at helping hundreds of thousands of Americans who suffer from kidney failure and who rely on Medicare for life-saving dialysis treatments. The event is sponsored by Kidney Care Partners (KCP), a coalition of patient advocacy groups, providers, and suppliers committed to improving the lives of those suffering from kidney disease. Media are invited to attend Mourning's visit to a D.C. dialysis clinic with patients and staff on Wednesday, July 7, from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m., followed by a reception with bipartisan members of the House and Senate to introduce new legislation to modernize the Medicare End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) benefit. (Please see important safety and logistical information below.) Mourning, who suffered from kidney failure and underwent a kidney transplant in 2003, has been an outspoken advocate for the growing numbers of patients with kidney disease. He will be in Washington to help draw attention to the looming crisis facing these patients. He says that inadequate funding for education and care services through Medicare's end stage renal disease program is an issue that must be dealt with. "More than 400,000 people suffer with kidney failure in the U.S. today, and disproportionate number of minorities is afflicted with kidney disease. Congress needs to recognize the crisis these patients face and take legislative action to address the current inadequacies and to fund programs to slow down the predicted increase in the number of patients with kidney failure" says KCP Chairman Dr. Raymond M. Hakim. The ESRD Medicare Program was established in 1972 to cover patients of any age who suffer from kidney failure and need dialysis treatments to stay alive. Before the program, thousands of Americans who had kidney failure were dying because they could not afford, or had no access to lifesaving dialysis treatments. Today, the program continues to provide coverage for dialysis patients of any age, but because the Program has not been modernized, the reimbursement rates are no longer covering the costs of dialysis treatments for providers, and numbers of patients who are at risk for kidney failure are not receiving proper education about proper preventative health measures. "Every day, renal care professionals work to improve the health and well-being of thousands of Americans who suffer from irreversible kidney failure, yet Medicare is neither keeping up with the cost of that care nor providing adequate preventative education" says Dr. Hakim. "These are chronically-ill individuals, who are among the sickest and most vulnerable Medicare beneficiaries. Without dialysis or a transplant, they would not survive." "The time is now to modernize this effective but outdated program and make it consistent with the realities of the 21st Century where diabetes is becoming epidemic. Hundreds of thousands of Americans are depending on it and unless Congress acts now, the number of patients needing this life-sustaining therapy will increase inexorably," Dr. Hakim says. Patient advocates, providers and research institutions, along with select Members and staff Bi-partisan Members of Congress and staff will participate in the reception on Capitol Hill. --- EDITORS NOTE: Important information for Members of the Media: It is important to note that dialysis procedures will be taking place during the tour, and appropriate medical precautions must be observed. Surgical masks and other preventative measures are available at the requests of media participants. It is also important that members of the press RSVP to participate. The dialysis center is a small facility, and the Mansfield Room at the Capitol has limited space. Furthermore, due to location of reception, advanced date-of-birth, social security information may have to be provided. RSVP to 301-951- 7804. -- WHERE: Fresenius Care Center, 11 Dupont Circle, Washington, D.C. WHEN: 3:45 to 4:30 p.m., Wednesday, July 7 -- WHAT: Kidney Care Partners Congressional Reception WHERE: The Mansfield Room, Capitol Building WHEN: 5 to 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, July 7 (NOTE: Please allow ample time for equipment screening at security checkpoints) |