Rep. Carol Miller, U.S. Representative for West Virginia 1st District | Official U.S. House headshot
Rep. Carol Miller, U.S. Representative for West Virginia 1st District | Official U.S. House headshot
Washington D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Carol Miller (R-WV) questioned Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra on how HHS can improve health care access for Americans, regardless of their condition.
During the discussion, Congresswoman Miller highlighted the positive work HHS has done regarding End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) and expressed concerns with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' (CMS) policy on reimbursing patients with Acute Kidney Injury for home dialysis. She emphasized the importance of addressing the needs of patients with kidney disease, stating, "West Virginia has the highest mortality rate in the country for patients with kidney disease."
In response, Secretary Becerra acknowledged the gravity of the issue, stating, "Congresswoman, thank you for your deep work on this issue, because for many folks this is life and death." He assured Congresswoman Miller that HHS is actively seeking input from the AKI community and committed to working towards aligning policies to improve access to essential services.
Expressing her appreciation for Secretary Becerra's dedication to kidney disease patients, Congresswoman Miller stated, "I look forward to continuing to work together on these issues."
Congresswoman Miller also raised concerns about a recent CMS rule regarding the Medicare Advantage enrollment process. She questioned Secretary Becerra about potential limitations on resources for Medicare Advantage beneficiaries, to which he responded, "Let me commit to you to work with you on that issue. We want to make sure that people are steered to what plans and services they need... [I am] more than willing to work with you to address that because you and I both have the patient's best interests in mind."
The conversation between Congresswoman Miller and Secretary Becerra highlighted the ongoing efforts to improve health care access, particularly for individuals in rural America, underscoring the importance of collaboration and advocacy in addressing critical healthcare needs.
Alerts Sign-up