Staff-assisted home hemodialysis
Frequently asked questions
Plain answers about dialysis at home in Houston, done for you by a licensed dialysis nurse. If you do not see your question here, call us and ask it.
About the service
What is staff-assisted home hemodialysis?
Staff-assisted home hemodialysis is dialysis done in your own home by a licensed dialysis nurse. The nurse comes to your home and performs the entire hemodialysis treatment for you. You do not place your own needles. You do not run the machine. No family member has to be trained to help.
Who performs the dialysis treatment at my home?
A licensed, background-checked dialysis nurse performs the dialysis treatment at your home. The nurse checks your vital signs (such as blood pressure), sets up the machine and supplies, places the needles, stays for the whole treatment, ends it, and cleans up. You do not do any part of the treatment yourself.
Do I have to learn to run the machine or place my own needles?
No. With staff-assisted home hemodialysis, you do not have to learn to run the machine or place your own needles. Placing the needles, which is called cannulation, is done by the licensed dialysis nurse at every visit. There is no training program for you to complete.
Does a family member need to be trained as my care partner?
No. Staff-assisted home hemodialysis does not require a trained family care partner. Our licensed dialysis nurse does the treatment, so no one in your family has to learn it or be responsible for your dialysis.
How is this different from other home hemodialysis programs?
Most home hemodialysis programs train you, or a family member, to run the treatment yourselves. Staff-assisted home hemodialysis is different because a licensed dialysis nurse comes to your home and does the treatment for you at every visit. You get dialysis at home without doing the work of dialysis.
Is the nurse with me for the whole treatment?
Yes. During staff-assisted home hemodialysis, the licensed dialysis nurse stays with you for the entire visit, from setup to cleanup. The nurse watches you and the machine the whole time and does not leave while your treatment is running.
How often are treatments, and how long do they take?
Staff-assisted home hemodialysis follows the same schedule as hemodialysis at a dialysis center: three times a week, or as your kidney doctor (nephrologist) specifies. Each treatment takes a few hours, and we set your treatment days and times around your doctor's orders.
What do I need to have at home?
For staff-assisted home hemodialysis, you need a small dedicated space for the machine and supplies, plus access to standard power and water. We deliver the machine and supplies to your home and set everything up.
Insurance and cost
Does Medicare cover staff-assisted home hemodialysis?
No. By law, Original Medicare does not cover staff-assisted home hemodialysis. Medicare alone does not qualify. However, if you have secondary commercial insurance (BCBS or UnitedHealthcare) with Medicare primary, you may qualify for our service.
Does Medicare Advantage cover staff-assisted home hemodialysis?
No. Medicare Advantage plans follow Medicare's payment rules, so they do not cover staff-assisted home hemodialysis. Commercial insurance you hold alongside a Medicare Advantage plan as a secondary policy does cover it.
Does Medicaid cover staff-assisted home hemodialysis?
No. Medicaid does not cover staff-assisted home hemodialysis. Staff-assisted home hemodialysis is covered by commercial insurance.
What insurance does cover staff-assisted home hemodialysis?
Commercial insurance does cover staff-assisted home hemodialysis. That includes commercial insurance you hold on your own, such as a plan through an employer or the marketplace. It also includes commercial insurance you hold alongside Medicare or a Medicare Advantage plan as a secondary policy. We are in network with Blue Cross Blue Shield and UnitedHealthcare. If your commercial plan is not one of these two, call us and we check your benefits.
Does Blue Cross Blue Shield cover home dialysis in Houston?
Yes. Blue Cross Blue Shield commercial plans cover staff-assisted home hemodialysis, and RenalSpa Home Dialysis is in network with Blue Cross Blue Shield in Houston. That is true whether BCBS is your only insurance or a secondary policy you hold alongside Medicare. Call 346-388-0656 and we verify your specific plan.
Does UnitedHealthcare cover home dialysis in Houston?
Yes. UnitedHealthcare commercial plans cover staff-assisted home hemodialysis, and RenalSpa Home Dialysis is in network with UnitedHealthcare in Houston. That is true whether UnitedHealthcare is your only insurance or a secondary policy you hold alongside Medicare. Call 346-388-0656 and we verify your specific plan.
I have Medicare plus a BCBS or UnitedHealthcare secondary plan. Do I qualify?
You may qualify, yes. Medicare alone does not cover staff-assisted home hemodialysis, but a commercial secondary policy from Blue Cross Blue Shield or UnitedHealthcare held alongside Medicare does cover it. Call 346-388-0656, have both insurance cards nearby, and we verify your coverage.
Getting started
Do I need a referral to contact RenalSpa?
No. You do not need a referral to contact RenalSpa. You call us directly. After you contact us, we coordinate with your kidney doctor (nephrologist) to request the medical orders. You do not have to arrange that yourself.
Where is this service available?
RenalSpa provides staff-assisted home hemodialysis across Houston and nearby suburbs, including Sugar Land, Katy, Pearland, Spring, and The Woodlands. If you do not see your community named on our service area page, call and tell us where you live. We tell you plainly whether we can come to you.
How do I get started?
To get started with staff-assisted home hemodialysis, call 346-388-0656. We answer your questions and check your insurance coverage. Then we coordinate the rest, including the medical orders from your kidney doctor and the equipment for your home.