Kidney Centers

Program Overview

Kidney centers may provide two types of dialysis treatment:

  • Hemodialysis involves passing an individual's blood through a machine with a special membrane to remove toxic substances. Hemodialysis may be scheduled for three or four times per week according to physician orders and degree of kidney disease.
  • Peritoneal dialysis involves filling the abdomen with a dialysate using the natural abdominal membranes to filter toxic substances from the body. Peritoneal dialysis may be performed several times a day according to physician orders and degree of kidney disease.

End-stage renal disease facilities are not licensed by the state, but may be Medicare certified.

Medicare pays for services provided by end-stage renal disease facilities that voluntarily seek and are approved for certification by the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). CMS contracts with the Department of Health to evaluate compliance with the federal end-stage renal disease regulations by periodically conducting surveys of these facilities.

Kidney transplant centers are specialized ends-stage renal disease facilities located in acute care hospitals. Services provided in these facilities include tissue typing, organ procurement and survey.