Get involvedDonate today
Donate today
Donate today

AKF Provider Code of Conduct

The American Kidney Fund ("AKF") operates its Health Insurance Premium Program ("HIPP") and all of its other programs in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations, with the highest standards of ethics and accountability, and with the primary mission of serving patients. It is our expectation that renal companies and professionals that assist patients in obtaining AKF assistance adhere to these same standards and abide by the Provider Code of Conduct (the "Code of Conduct") outlined below.

All current and future referring providers to the HIPP program must have an authorized representative of the company (the "Company") read and sign this Code of Conduct on behalf of the Company.

  1. We will always keep the best interests of our patients in mind when providing patients with information about HIPP eligibility, benefits, conditions, and related information, and when assisting patients in applying for HIPP or other assistance from AKF.
  2. We will ensure that all patients applying for HIPP assistance receive AKF's "Patient Rights and Responsibilities"
  3. We will ensure that patients applying for HIPP assistance are given a copy of, and the patients will acknowledge in writing their receipt of, AKF's HIPP Guidelines or Patient Handbook.
  4. We will provide accurate, and impartial information designed to enable patients to make informed decisions about their health insurance coverage choice. Where applicable, such information will include financial implications associated with the choice of a particular coverage option to the extent such information is available. For example, the information provided (while not a required or exhaustive list) may include items such as:
    1. Out-of-pocket expenses (co-pays, deductibles, uncovered costs, etc.)
    2. Reenrollment requirements
    3. Potential Medicare late enrollment penalties, if any
    4. Recommendation that the patient review with their transplant center the impact, if any, of their health care coverage choice on transplant status.
  5. It is each patient's responsibility to provide complete and accurate information as part of the grant application process, and we will require that each patient sign, as part of the application, AKF's attestation that they have provided complete and accurate information, and that the plan selected is the patient's choice.
  6. We will remind patients that they are the ones who should make any decisions concerning their HIPP assistance, including applying for, changing, stopping or re-enrolling in healthcare coverage.
  7. We will take reasonable steps to overcome education, language, and/or cultural barriers in informing patients about their health insurance options.
  8. We will regularly review messages posted on AKF's online Grants Management System ("GMS") and, where appropriate, share such information with patients in a timely manner.
  9. We will encourage patients to register with GMS so that patients may be informed about the status of their applications and grants from AKF.
  10. We understand that if AKF has reason to suspect any of our employees of violating this Code of Conduct, AKF will immediately notify the Company's compliance officer.
  11. In the event the Company learns that information provided by a patient in a grant application was materially inaccurate when provided, the Company will promptly communicate this inaccuracy to AKF and assist in remedying such inaccuracy. In the event the company identifies activity by any of its employees that fails to meet the standards set forth in this Code of Conduct, the matter will be referred to the Company's Chief Compliance Officer ("CCO") for investigation and appropriate corrective action. To the extent the CCO determines that the employees' failure to meet the standards set forth in this Code of Conduct may require action by AKF, the CCO will also notify AKF.
  12. The Company understands that AKF maintains the right to suspend or terminate a Company employee's rights to submit grant requests to the HIPP program in the event the employee is found in violation of this Code of Conduct.