Celebrating Milestones in Kidney Care Quality and Building a Better Future
Author: Timothy Pflederer, MD, FASN, FASDIN; Chief Medical Officer
I’m thrilled to share the results from Performance Year 2022, the first year of the Comprehensive Kidney Care Contracting (CKCC) program, as well as the first year we began delivering comprehensive care to patients. Partnering with our nephrology practices, our team achieved a top ranking for quality care nationwide, reported by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).
A Remarkable First Year
This achievement reflects our commitment to delivering exceptional patient care and strengthens our role as a national leader in value-based kidney care. It demonstrates our commitment to putting patients at the center of everything we do. Together with our partners, we’ve made meaningful progress in expanding home dialysis options, facilitating kidney transplants, and ensuring patients progressing to ESKD have optimal care starts.
The CKCC model aims to improve outcomes for Medicare beneficiaries with advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD) and end-stage kidney disease (ESKD). Participating nephrology practices collaborate with care providers to form Kidney Contracting Entities (KCEs), to improve care quality and patient outcomes.
Our largest nephrology partner, Balboa Nephrology, qualified for the program’s High Performance Pool (HPP) because of its outstanding quality outcomes. This recognition is awarded to KCEs that achieve top-tier results, ranking in the top third nationwide across all quality measures.
Impact on Patient Lives
For our patients, these results are more than statistics—they reflect real improvements in their quality of life and health outcomes. The combination of our holistic care model, the expertise of our nephrologists, and our dedication to compassionate patient care enables us to deliver services that truly make a difference. We are not only setting a standard for kidney care but are helping patients achieve the best possible outcomes at every stage of their journey.
Where We’re Going
While we are thrilled with this achievement, we recognize that there is still much work to be done. Our initial success motivates us to continue pushing forward, confident in the impact we’re making and, in the potential still to be realized.
I want to thank our partners, team members, and everyone committed to our mission. Together, we’re improving kidney care—one patient at a time.
For more details on our 2022 performance, you can visit the CMS Innovation Center.
