Defining Dialysis Cost Containment Solutions

The increasing cost of health benefits for dialysis is one of the most significant threats to self-insured health plans. Over the past five years there have been extraordinary increases in charges, with the two largest dialysis providers increasing their average treatment rate by over 100% since 2008.*

What’s more, the End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) population is growing. Between 2005 and 2006, the estimated number of prevalent Medicare ESRD patients rose 3.5%, reaching 422,000, while the non-Medicare ESRD population grew nearly 8% to 84,000**.   According to the 2010 USRDS annual report the number of ESRD patients grew to 547,982 in 2008 at a total cost of $39.5 billion.  These facts, along with the rising incidence of contributing medical conditions, such as high blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes, point to a growing threat of a dramatic increase in dialysis patients.

We understand the challenges self-insured organizations face managing the complex issues surrounding the treatment of dialysis and its costs. The reality is that providers look to self-insured health plans as an additional source of increased profits.

A one-stop shop approach like preferred provider organizations (PPO’s), specialty network contracts which typically apply fixed discounts or re-pricing vendors that apply arbitrary derivatives of U&R and benefit limitations is not the answer. DCC takes into account these realities and for nearly a decade has provided comprehensive solutions that achieve the highest savings possible while maximizing member benefit preservation.

Welcome to the leader in cost containment solutions.

Welcome to DCC.

*2011 DCC Data
**United States Renal Data System