An Act to amend titles II and XVIII of the Social Security Act to make improvements in the end stage renal disease program presently authorized under section 226 of that Act, and for other purposes.

(House agreed to Senate amendment with amendment)

Amends Titles II and XVIII (Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance, and Medicare, respectively) of the Social Security Act to specify the types of treatment and amount of coverage which will be provided for individuals disabled by end stage renal disease.

Defines the time at which coverage begins for programs of renal dialysis, and for kidney transplant operations. States that coverage for home dialysis programs shall begin with the month in which such program begins.

Extends coverage for a regular course of renal dialysis to individuals who received a kidney transplant in the case of the failure of such transplant.

Extends coverage under the Medicare program to kidney donors.

Authorizes the making of payments under the Medicare program to providers of services and renal dialysis facilities on behalf of individuals who have end-stage renal disease. Directs the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare to establish annually a target reimbursement rate for home dialysis.

Directs the Secretary to establish renal disease network areas, including a coordinating council, an executive committee of such council and a medical review board for each area, and a national end stage renal disease medical information system, in order to assure effective and efficient administration of the benefits provided under this Act. Directs the Secretary to provide regulations for the coordination of network planning and quality assurance activities, and the exchange of data and information among agencies with responsibilities for health planning and quality assurance activities under Federal law. Provides that at least one patient representative shall serve as a member of each coordinating council and executive committee. Requires the Secretary to prescribe regulations regarding membership in such network organizations so as to prevent potential or actual financial or professional conflicts of interests with respect to decisions concerning the appropriateness, nature, or site of patient care.

Defines the duties of the network organizations to be: (1) encouraging, consistent with sound medical practice, the use of those treatment settings most compatible with the successful rehabilitation of the patient; (2) developing criteria and standards relating to the quality and appropriateness of patient care; (3) evaluating the procedures by which facilities and providers in the network assess the appropriateness of patients for proposed treatment modalities; (4) identifying facilities and providers that are not cooperating toward meeting network goals and assisting in the development of plans for correction; and (5) submitting annually a report which shall include a statement of the network's goals, data on its performance, and recommendations.

Authorizes the Secretary to terminate or withhold certification of a facility or provider which consistently fails to cooperate with network goals and plans. Directs the Secretary to provide guidelines to assist network organizations in their development of goals to promote optimum use of self-dialysis and transplantation by suitable candidates. Requires the Secretary to consult with professional and network organizations concerning developments in research, treatment methods, and technology for home dialysis and transplantation in order to treat the maximum practical number of patients in such medical practice.

Directs the Secretary to establish pilot projects under which assistance is provided to individuals in the purchase of home dialysis equipment.

Directs the Secretary to report to Congress annually on the end stage renal disease program.

States that the Administrator of the Health Care Financing Administration, instead of the Commissioner of Social Security, is to be Secretary of the Board of Trustees of the Federal Hospital Insurance Trust Fund and the Federal Supplementary Medical Insurance Trust Fund.

Delays until October 1, 1978, the effective date of certain provisions relating to reimbursement for the services of physicians provided in teaching hospitals.