IPRO has been awarded three major federal contracts to support the provision of End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) services to Medicare beneficiaries. All three-year awards assist dialysis and renal transplantation centers in maintaining high standards of care for ESRD patients. The contracts are administered by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and are effective January 1, 2013. IPRO’s award as the ESRD Network 1 contractor (supporting service delivery in CT, ME, MA, NH, RI and VT), and renewal as ESRD Network 2 contractor (supporting service delivery in NY), requires the organization to: (a) assure effective and efficient administration of Medicare benefits for patients; (b) work with providers to improve quality of care; (c) use data collection to measure performance on key metrics; (d) provide technical assistance to patients and providers and (e) evaluate and resolve patient grievances.
IPRO’s re-award of the expanded ESRD Network Coordinating Center contract means the organization will have a lead role in supporting CMS’ management of the ESRD program nationwide including responsibility for operation of the KCER Coalition—supporting emergency preparedness and response for the ESRD Networks, dialysis organizations, and stakeholder community.
“We are very pleased that CMS has chosen to expand our role in working with providers and beneficiaries to improve ESRD service delivery, both at the regional and national levels,” said Clare Bradley, MD, MPH, IPRO’s Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer. “This expansion is a testament to the diligence and creativity of our entire ESRD contractor support team.” Created by federal law in 1978, there are currently 18 Network Organizations operating nationwide. The 18 Networks serve the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, America Samoa, Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands. For more information on the announcement, visit www.cms.hhs.gov.