Live feeds from CMS, GAO, HHS, OIG, and the Federal Register — alongside original Cold Ischemia Foundation investigative documents.
Original investigative documents, white papers, legislative drafts, and advocacy guides produced by the Cold Ischemia Foundation. All documents are published without pharmaceutical funding or institutional approval.
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The Federal Register feed is filtered for ESRD, dialysis, transplant, kidney, and care partner rules and proposed regulations. Items marked FED are active or proposed federal rules directly affecting your patient population.
These visualizations are not infographics. They are operational analyses — built using the same Lean Six Sigma methodology applied to quality and process failures in clinical research and manufacturing. Applied here to the most important quality failure in American healthcare: the systematic abandonment of 55 million care partners.
Every study below is a published, peer-reviewed work from a verified academic or institutional source. This is the evidence the federal agencies have access to. This is the data that justifies every policy demand Cold Ischemia Foundation makes.
Composite index based on CMS ESRD complaint data, OIG investigation frequency, HHS enforcement actions, and documented care partner rights violations by state. Darker = higher complaint volume relative to enforcement response. Data compiled from federal public records.
If you or your care partner is experiencing mistreatment, illegal discharge, discrimination, denial of care, or rights violations — these are the federal agencies with legal authority to respond. File with the most specific agency first.
18 regional networks mandated by CMS to resolve grievances. Your facility must post your network's contact information. They have a legal obligation to respond within 30 days.
Find Your Network → esrdncc.orgFile formal complaints about ESRD facilities, hospitals, and other Medicare-certified providers. 1-800-MEDICARE or through your State Survey Agency.
CMS Complaints → cms.gov · 1-800-633-4227Report fraud, patient abuse, billing violations, or retaliation against patients who filed complaints. OIG has subpoena power. Reports can be anonymous.
Report Fraud → oig.hhs.gov · 1-800-HHS-TIPSIf a healthcare facility discriminated against you due to your disability, chronic illness, or health status. ADA Title II & III violations. OCR handles health-specific complaints.
File with OCR → hhs.gov/ocr · 1-800-368-1019HRSA oversees OPTN/UNOS and organ transplant policy. Report transplant center failures, OPO misconduct, or OPTN policy violations directly to HRSA's Division of Transplantation.
HRSA Transplant → hrsa.gov · 1-888-275-4772Wrongful denials, prior authorization abuses, or failure to cover ESRD/transplant treatment. File with your State Insurance Commissioner and CMS simultaneously. ERISA plans require DOL filing.
State Help → cms.gov · Find Your CommissionerCongressional casework offices can intervene with federal agencies on your behalf. This is a legal, established process. Use our Congress Scorecard to find your representatives and their healthcare voting records.
Congress Scorecard → See Your Rep's GradeEvery state has a survey agency authorized by CMS to inspect facilities and investigate complaints. Your State Attorney General can also investigate patient rights violations as consumer protection issues.
State Agencies → CMS DirectoryCold Ischemia Foundation is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. We are not medical professionals and cannot provide medical advice. All information on this page is for educational and advocacy purposes only. Always consult your healthcare team for medical decisions and a qualified attorney for legal matters. The contact information above references federal public agencies and is provided solely to help patients and care partners understand their rights and access the systems designed to protect them.