The Kidney Care Access Protection Act aims to improve access to innovative kidney disease treatments under Medicare by modifying how dialysis drugs, biological products, and equipment are paid for. The bill extends the transitional payment period for new dialysis drugs and devices approved after January 2020 from the current timeframe to at least three years, and establishes permanent add-on payments at 65 percent of cost after this transition period ends, beginning January 1, 2026. The legislation also ensures that Medicare Advantage plans make direct payments to dialysis providers and facilities for these innovative treatments at the same rates as traditional Medicare. Additionally, the bill adjusts how Medicare calculates annual payment updates to kidney dialysis providers by accounting for forecasting errors in predicting costs, starting in 2026, which aims to improve payment stability for dialysis facilities. The changes take effect January 1, 2026, and are not subject to budget-neutral restrictions that would normally offset increases in Medicare spending.
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