Southern West Virginia News

Washington D.C. – Congresswoman Carol Miller (R-WV) recently participated in a Ways and Means Committee Hearing focused on exploring the benefits of technologies that enable patients to access healthcare at home. During the hearing, Congresswoman Miller emphasized the significance of at-home dialysis for individuals with End Stage Renal Disease, particularly in rural areas.

Ms. Maddox, a Home Dialysis Patient, shared her experience of transitioning from dialyzing in a center to dialyzing at home. She highlighted the emotional, mental, and physical improvements she observed by dialyzing at home, mentioning the regained sense of autonomy and control over her life.

Congresswoman Miller discussed her Increasing Access to Home Dialysis Act, aiming to enhance access to home dialysis by providing professional staff assistance to patients at home. She expressed optimism that this bill would expand coverage for essential services to more End Stage Renal Disease patients.

In response to Congresswoman Miller's inquiry about navigating Medicare coverage for training and dialysis at home, Ms. Maddox described the learning curve she faced and the requirement of maintaining Medicare coverage for dialysis treatment. She acknowledged the challenges but recognized the necessity of complying with Medicare regulations for her healthcare needs.