Is it true?

[jmhoxsie1979]

Is it true that medicare will start from day one when starting dialysis at home? If so will that include my fistula surgery?

[okarol]

I think it starts with PD training. I need to find that thread.

[okarol]

A person may apply for Medicare when starting dialysis treatments. Medicare benefits then begin the third month after regular dialysis treatments begin. For example, if regular dialysis treatments begin in July, Medicare coverage would start on October 1. Coverage can begin earlier if a person takes self-care dialysis training for home hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis before the third month or has a transplant within the first 3 months.

For a person covered by a group health plan, Medicare is a secondary payer during a 30-month coordination period. The group health plan pays at its regular level for this period. Since Medicare is usually not available in the first 3 months, the group health plan is the only payer for health services. In the fourth month, Medicare begins to cover only that portion of health services that is not covered by the group health plan. Medicare then becomes the primary payer for health insurance claims at the end of the 30-month period.

from: http://ihatedialysis.com/forum/index.php?topic=16226.msg284148#msg284148
There's more info in a thread about Medicare, but not able to find it now.

[Rerun]

Yes, I suggest you "say" you are going to do home dialysis and then change your mind in the fourth month.