The incidence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in the United States is growing at an alarming rate. Partnership HealthPlan of California (PHC) has launched a program to help its members with chronic kidney disease by offering support to CKD patients who have not yet started dialysis.

Designed to delay the progression to dialysis by reducing complications of common underlying conditions such as diabetes or hypertension, the program also prepares timely for dialysis when the need should arise.

“Our CKD Care Coordination Program can help ensure a better quality of life for our members with kidney disease,” said Jack Horn, chief executive officer of Partnership HealthPlan of California. “Dialysis can be a very intense and disruptive therapy. Offering support to our members in a way that can negate or delay that need is a welcome course of action.”

Phase One enrollment is open to PHC members living in Solano or Napa counties currently assigned to a primary care provider who are in Stage 4 or 5 of their Chronic Kidney Disease as identified by two or more Glomerular Filtration Rates (eGFR) of less than 30.

Two nephrologists in the PHC provider network have been instrumental in getting the program started: Dr. Thomas Paukert and Dr. Ehsan Shamir.

PHC plans to expand the program as more resources become available and more eligible members are identified.

Referrals to the CKD Care Coordination program can be made by calling the PHC Care Coordination Help Line at 707-863-4276.

PHC began operating in 1994 and serves Medi-Cal recipients in 14 northern California counties: Del Norte, Humboldt, Lake, Lassen, Marin, Mendocino, Modoc, Napa, Shasta, Siskiyou, Solano, Sonoma, Trinity and Yolo.

Additional information can be found at www.partnershiphp.org .