PD Outcomes under the Medicare Expanded Dialysis Prospective Payment System

A Medicare change in 2011 may have increased the likelihood that clinics would expand PD to a broader population. Did this affect outcomes? A prospective cohort study compared 10,585 patients who started PD before payment reform, 7,832 interim patients, and 18,742 during the reform period. With similar demographics, more patients were treated in clinics with less PD experience—and these clinics had higher PD discontinuation rates. But, PD discontinuation fell overall, and mortality risk was stable.

Read the abstract » | (added 10-14-2019)