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New DiaSource Solution Introduced for Dialysis Cost Containment - Renal Business Today

DALLAS— American CareSource Holdings, Inc. today introduced its new DiaSource solution for containment of dialysis costs. The solution is from Ancillary Care Services (ACS), the leading national network of ancillary healthcare providers and a wholly owned subsidiary of American CareSource.

For self-insured employers, the cost to cover kidney disease treatment is significant. Through the DiaSource suite of services, employers can access the DiaSource high-performance network (HPN) — a network of dialysis providers that have agreed to low, competitive rates. The patient’s dialysis costs are covered at 100 percent, and the employer has low predictable costs throughout the course of treatment.

In addition to the network of service providers, employers receive member education resources, screening services and individual disease management programs designed to maximize the quality care provided while helping to contain its costs. These value-added services are provided at no additional cost to DiaSource clients.

ACS conceived the DiaSource solution by analyzing the needs of self-insured employers and recognizing the need to combat high dialysis costs. After a significant development period, the solution is already helping one patient in Texas, with annualized savings to the employer projected to exceed $250,000. ACS worked with The Plexus Groupe, an independent, privately owned national insurance brokerage firm, and its client, an employer group. One of the group’s members is now receiving dialysis through a provider in the DiaSource high-performance network.

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Dialysis units moving to Lynch Law offices - Algona Upper Des Moines
Algona Upper Des Moines
By Nathan Countryman, Assistant Editor ALGONA—Mercy Medical Services of Mason City has three outpatient units for dialysis across northwest Iowa. The Algona location currently has five chairs operating in the space at Kossuth Regional Health Center,

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Bundling Report Expected at NKF Meeting - Renal Business Today

WASHINGTON--Researchers attending this year's National Kidney Foundation clinical sessions will get a glimpse of early data on whether a new method of reimbursement for intravenous dialysis medications is having an impact on care.

An analysis of data from the Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (DOPPS) will look at whether there have been any changes in specific labs -- including anemia, phosphorus, and parathyroid hormone -- since the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) began 'bundling' payments, according to Linda Fried, MD, chair of the program committee.

"It's too early to see an impact on hospitalizations, but we can see whether there's been a shift in lab values over the last year," Fried said.

Bundling went into effect in January 2011; it establishes a single payment rate for dialysis and all medications given intravenously during dialysis, such as erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs), iron and vitamin D.

Nephrologists were initially concerned that the policy would limit treatment options, especially for black patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD), who tend to require higher doses of ESAs.

Starting in January 2014, oral medications given for ESRD-related complications, including phosphate binders, oral iron and oral vitamin D, are going to end up in the bundle as well.

"If you get one payment no matter how much drug you use, the expectation is that there are going to be economic forces that will tend to push the use down," Fried said. "That might not be a bad thing, or it might impact care."

Another topic on the agenda will be controversial draft criteria from the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) that sought to overhaul the way donor kidneys are allocated. The debate will be led by two researchers heavily involved in the controversy -- Kenneth Andreoni, MD, of Ohio State University, who was on the UNOS guideline committee, and Lainie Friedman Ross, MD, PhD, of the University of Chicago, a major critic.

The new recommendation suggests giving the highest-quality kidneys to the 20 percent of recipients with the longest estimated survival time, with the rest would be matched by the ages of the donor and recipient. Critics have charged that the new criteria give more kidneys to younger patients, discriminating against older ones.

"If you shift [the system] to take into account life expectancy, you end up shifting organs to younger people, and that caused controversy," Fried said.

She added that the guideline, which was released in February 2011, is currently being rethought as the committee tries to balance all the concerns. No date is set for release of a revamped guideline.

The meeting will also feature a special session that looks at the management of diabetes patients with ESRD.

There's been much talk about personalized treatment in type 2 diabetes, most recently with European and American organizations urging a less algorithmic approach.

"If you have a patient with advanced kidney disease, perhaps we should back off [HbA1c] targets to avoid the hypoglycemia risk," said Fried, especially since diabetics with kidney disease are more likely to get low blood sugar.

Researchers are also questioning whether this population should rely on a completely different measurement -- glycated albumin -- for assessing care instead of HbA1c.

A study reported last year by Barry Friedman, MD, of Wake Forest University, and colleagues, found that glycated albumin was a better predictor of hospitalization and mortality in diabetes patients with ESRD than HbA1c or serum blood sugar.

"HbA1c is much more stable in a non-kidney disease patient, so it may not be the best marker," Fried said.

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SCAI: Are new technologies for renal artery stenting worth the cost? - Cardiovascular Business

CONFERENCE NEWS

SCAI: Are new technologies for renal artery stenting worth the cost?

The use of newer technologies in renal artery stenting, such as drug-eluting stents (DES), distal protection devices and intravascular ultrasound (IVUS), appear to have no advantageous effect on re-hospitalization and mortality and add more than $43,000 to the healthcare system, according to a retrospective study presented May 9 as a scientific poster at the 35th annual meeting of the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI). The study co-investigator told Cardiovascular Business that larger, prospective trials are needed to validate the use of these technologies.

Technical advances in renal artery stenting (RAS) may be beneficial in certain patients, however, they are coupled with increased financial costs to both patients and hospitals, wrote the study authors.

More research is needed to determine “which patients will maximally benefit from using these technologies,” said study co-investigator Mohammed Kaswara, MD, of Charleston Area Medical Center in Charleston, W.Va. “Therefore, in this study, we sought to examine if new innovations—namely, IVUS, protection devices and DES—impact the clinical outcomes and economic burden in renal artery endovascular interventions.”

The researchers retrospectively reviewed 222 renal artery angioplasty and stenting procedures performed in 189 patients at Charleston Area Medical Center from July 1, 2007 to June 30, 2010. For patient outcomes, they assessed all-cause mortality and re-hospitalization for congestive heart failure, renal failure, hypertensive crisis and target vessel revascularization (TVR).

Overall, 48 patients received IVUS during their RAS, six patients received distal protection devices and five received DES. The median follow-up period was 33 months. These patients were compared with patients with renovascular conditions at their facility who did not receive any these technologies between 1993 and 2004.

Kaswara and colleagues found that TVR was required following 18 procedures while re-hospitalization for congestive heart failure, renal failure or hypertensive crisis occurred in 17 patients. Cumulative patient survival for years one through four was 98.2 percent, 93.4 percent, 86.4 percent and 63 percent, respectively. Also, they reported that the rates of TVR, readmission and all-cause mortality were not affected by the use of IVUS, distal filter or DES.

“The lack of survival benefit for these patients who received the newer technologies is noteworthy,” Kaswara said.

The researchers also found that these three technologies contributed a substantial additional financial burden of $31,920 for IVUS (48 x $665), $7,350 for distal protection filters (6 x $1,225) and $4,000 for DES (5 x $800)—totaling $43,270.

“Because these dollar amounts are associated with a single institution, if you apply these figures across the U.S., the total is much, much higher, especially when we’re not certain of the clinical benefits of the technologies,” said Kaswara.

However, he acknowledged that the small size of the patient population did not allow for statistically significant P values; therefore, "these findings will not change practice." The researchers, as a group, also pointed to their small sample size as a limitation of their study.

“Larger, prospective studies are needed to show the clinical benefits of these devices,” Kaswara said.

Last updated on May 10, 2012 at 8:46 am EST

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American Renal Associates Announces First Quarter 2012 Results - MarketWatch (press release)

BEVERLY, Mass., May 10, 2012 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- American Renal Associates Holdings, Inc., and its subsidiary American Renal Holdings Inc. announced results today for the quarter ended March 31, 2012. Financial and operating highlights include:

-- Revenues -- Patient service operating revenues for the three months ended March 31, 2012 were $97.2 million as compared to $84.7 million for the same period in 2011.

-- Adjusted EBITDA(1) -- Adjusted EBITDA for the three months ended March 31, 2012 was $17.7 million. This compares to Adjusted EBITDA for the three months ended March 31, 2011 of $14.3 million.

-- Center Activity - As of March 31, 2012, we provided services at 112 outpatient dialysis centers serving 7,648 patients. During the first quarter of 2012, we acquired 1 center, opened 4 de novo centers and closed 1 center.

-- Volume - Total treatments for the first quarter of 2012 were 275,642 or 3,534 treatments per day, representing a per day increase of 11.9% over the first quarter of 2011. Non-acquired treatment growth was 10.9% in the first quarter.

American Renal Associates will hold a conference call to discuss its results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2012 today at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time. The live call can be accessed by dialing either 1-877-407-8029 or 201-689-8029.

This press release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which are based on management's current expectations, the accuracy of which is necessarily subject to risks and uncertainties. These statements are not historical in nature and use words such as "anticipate", "estimate", "expect", "project", "intend", "forecast", "plan", "believe", and other words of similar meaning in connection with any discussion of future operating or financial performance. Many factors may cause actual results to differ materially from anticipated results including product developments, sales efforts, income tax matters, the outcomes of contingencies such as legal proceedings, and other economic, business, competitive and regulatory factors. We undertake no obligation to update our forward-looking statements.

_____________________________________________________________________________




           (1)  This press release includes Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA
                including noncontrolling interests, all of which are not financial
                measures defined by Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP).
                See Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures section at the end
                of this press release for the definitions of these measures as well
                as their reconciliations to net income.
        



About American Renal Associates

American Renal Associates Holdings, Inc. is the parent of American Renal Holdings Inc. and American Renal Associates LLC ("ARA") and is a leading owner and provider of outpatient kidney dialysis facilities operating facilities in partnership with nephrologists throughout the United States. The Company's unique operating philosophy merges physician autonomy, leading edge patient care and financial partnership between the nephrologists and ARA. Consequently, ARA has become one of the largest providers of outpatient kidney dialysis services in the nation with 112 owned facilities as of March 31, 2012 which are located in 19 states and the District of Columbia. For more information, visit www.americanrenal.com .




        
        American Renal Associates Holdings, Inc.
        Consolidated Statements of Operations
        (unaudited and in thousands)
                                                                       Three Months Ended    Three Months Ended
                                                                            March 31,             March 31,
                                                                              2012                  2011
                                                                       ----------------      ----------------
        Patient service operating revenues                                  $  97,164             $ 84,668
        Less: Provision for uncollectible accounts                               (887)             (1,264)
                                                                              ------- ---           ------ ----
        Net patient service operating revenues                                 96,277               83,404
        Operating expenses:
        Patient care costs                                                     58,079               54,280
        General and administrative                                             10,431               10,388
        Merger and transaction-related costs                                        -                   36
        Depreciation and amortization                                           4,778                4,349
                                                                              -------               ------
        Total operating expenses                                               73,288               69,053
                                                                              -------               ------
        Operating Income                                                       22,989               14,351
        Interest expense, net                                                  (9,995)             (7,041)
                                                                              ------- ---           ------ ----
        Income before income taxes                                             12,994                7,310
        Income tax expense (benefit)                                              970                  (95)
                                                                              -------               ------ ----
        Net income                                                             12,024                7,405
          Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests           (10,629)             (7,549)
                                                                              ------- ---           ------ ----
        Net income (loss) attributable to ARAH                              $   1,395             $   (144)
                                                                       ====== =======        ====== ====== ====
        





        
        American Renal Associates Holdings, Inc.
        Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets
        (unaudited and in thousands)
                                                                         March 31,      December 31,
                                                                           2012             2011
                                                                       -----------     -------------
        Assets
             Cash                                                         $  41,727         $  36,774
             Patient accounts receivable, net                                56,448            56,027
             Income tax receivable                                            1,322             1,322
             Inventories, prepaid expenses and other current assets          16,203            15,101
                                                                            -------           -------
                       Total current assets                                 115,700           109,224
             Property and equipment, net                                     74,747            72,416
             Deferred financing costs, net                                    4,737             4,962
             Intangible assets, net                                          35,462            35,416
             Other long-term assets                                           2,111             1,734
             Goodwill                                                       512,062           504,045
                                                                            -------           -------
                       Total assets                                       $ 744,819         $ 727,797
                                                                       ==== =======    ====== =======
        Liabilities and Equity
             Current liabilities:
                  Accounts payable and accrued expenses                   $  57,168         $  52,682
                  Amount due to sellers                                       2,192             2,192
                  Current portion of long-term debt                           2,738             2,662
                  Current portion of capital lease obligations                   52                51
                                                                            -------           -------
                       Total current liabilities                             62,150            57,587
             Long-term debt, less current portion                           395,870           391,084
             Capital lease obligations, less current portion                     98               111
             Other long-term liabilities                                      3,129             3,362
             Deferred tax liabilities                                        16,233            16,233
             Noncontrolling interests subject to put provisions              48,219            47,492
             Total equity                                                   219,120           211,928
                                                                            -------           -------
                       Total liabilities & equity                         $ 744,819         $ 727,797
                                                                       ==== =======    ====== =======
        





        
        American Renal Associates Holdings, Inc.
        Supplemental Business Metrics
        (unaudited)
                                                                                                      Three Months         Three Months         Three Months
                                                                                                          Ended                Ended                Ended
                                                                                                        March 31,          December 31,           March 31,
                                                                                                          2012                 2011                 2011
                                                                                                   ---------------      ---------------      ---------------
        Volume
        Treatments                                                                                      275,642              266,313              243,238
        Number of treatment days                                                                             78                   79                   77
        Treatments per day                                                                                3,534                3,371                3,159
        Non-acquired growth year over year                                                                 10.9 %               11.3 %               14.3 %
        Revenue
        Patient service operating revenues (in thousands)                                             $  97,164            $  93,106            $  84,668
        Patient service operating revenues per treatment                                              $  352.50            $  349.61            $  348.09
        Per treatment (decrease) increase from previous quarter                                       $    2.89            $  (5.46)          $    4.14
        Provision for uncollectible accounts
                                         As a % of patient service operating revenues                       0.9 %                0.7 %                1.5 %
        Expenses
        Patient care costs
                                         Amount (in thousands)                                        $  58,079            $  54,539            $  54,280
                                         As a % of patient service operating revenues                      59.8 %               58.6 %               64.1 %
                                         Per treatment                                                $  210.70            $  204.79            $  223.16
                                         Per treatment increase (decrease) from previous quarter      $    5.91            $  (5.66)          $    3.91
        General and administrative expenses
                                         Amount (in thousands)                                        $  10,431            $   9,908            $  10,388
                                         As a % of patient service operating revenues                      10.7 %               10.6 %               12.3 %
                                         Per treatment                                                $   37.84            $   37.20            $   42.71
                                         Per treatment increase (decrease) from previous quarter      $    0.64            $    0.03            $   11.11
        Adjusted EBITDA
        Adjusted EBITDA including noncontrolling interests (in thousands)                             $  28,301            $  28,376            $  21,875
        Adjusted EBITDA (in thousands)                                                                $  17,672            $  18,032            $  14,326
        Accounts receivable DSO (days)                                                                       53                   54                   62
        





        
        American Renal Associates Holdings, Inc.
        Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures:
        (unaudited and in thousands)
        



To supplement our consolidated financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP, we use the following measures defined as Non-GAAP measures by the SEC: Adjusted EBITDA (including noncontrolling interests) and Adjusted EBITDA. Adjusted EBITDA is defined as net income attributable to ARAH before income taxes, interest expense, depreciation and amortization, and we further adjust for other non-cash charges and non-recurring charges. We believe this information is useful for evaluating our business and understanding our operating performance in a manner similar to management. We believe Adjusted EBITDA is helpful in highlighting trends because Adjusted EBITDA excludes the results of decisions that are outside the control of operating management and can differ significantly from company to company depending on long-term strategic decisions regarding capital structure, the tax jurisdictions in which companies operate and capital investments. In addition, we present Adjusted EBITDA because it is one of the components used in the calculations under the covenants contained in our revolving credit facility. Adjusted EBITDA is not a measure of operating performance computed in accordance with GAAP and should not be considered as a substitute for operating income, net income, cash flows from operations, or other statement of income or cash flow data prepared in conformity with GAAP, or as measures of profitability or liquidity. In addition, Adjusted EBITDA may not be comparable to similarly titled measures for other companies. Adjusted EBITDA may not be indicative of historical operating results, and we do not mean for it to be predictive of future results of operations or cash flows. Adjusted EBITDA has limitations as an analytical tool, and you should not consider this item in isolation, or as a substitute for an analysis of our results as reported under GAAP. Some of these limitations are that Adjusted EBITDA:

-- does not include interest expense--as we have borrowed money for general corporate purposes, interest expense is a necessary element of our costs and ability to generate profits and cash flows;

-- does not include depreciation and amortization--because construction and operation of our dialysis clinics requires significant capital expenditures, depreciation and amortization are a necessary element of our costs and ability to generate profits;

-- does not include stock-based compensation expense;

-- does not reflect changes in, or cash requirements for, our working capital needs; and

-- does not include certain income tax payments that represent a reduction in cash available to us.

The following table presents the reconciliation from net income to Adjusted EBITDA for the periods indicated:




        
                                                                     Three Months       Three Months      Three Months
                                                                         Ended              Ended             Ended
                                                                       March 31,        December 31,        March 31,
                                                                         2012               2011              2011
                                                                  ---------------    ---------------    --------------
        Reconciliation of Net income to
        Adjusted EBITDA:
        Net income                                                   $  12,024          $  10,728          $  7,405
        Interest expense, net                                            9,995              9,860             7,041
        Income tax expense                                                 970              2,588               (95)
        Depreciation and amortization                                    4,778              4,643             4,349
        Merger and transaction-related costs                                 -                154                36
        Stock-based compensation                                           220                230             2,968
        Management fee                                                     314                173               171
                                                                       -------            -------            ------
        Adjusted EBITDA (including noncontrolling interests)         $  28,301          $  28,376          $ 21,875
        Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests      (10,629)          (10,344)          (7,549)
                                                                       ------- ----       ------- ----       ------ ----
        Adjusted EBITDA                                              $  17,672          $  18,032          $ 14,326
                                                                  ==== =======       ==== =======       ==== ======
        





        
        American Renal Associates Holdings, Inc.
        Supplemental Information
        (unaudited and in thousands)
        



The following tables present our selected consolidating financial information, for American Renal Associates Holdings, Inc. (ARAH) and American Renal Holdings Inc. (ARH) which you should read in conjunction with our condensed consolidated financials.




        
                                                      For the Three Months Ended March 31 , 2012           For the Three Months Ended March 31, 2011
                                                   ------------------------------------------------    ------------------------------------------------
                                                        ARAH              ARH             Total             ARAH              ARH             Total
        Interest expense, net                         ($4,126)        ($5,869)        ($9,995)         ($1,291)        ($5,750)        ($7,041)
        Income tax (benefit) expense                   (1,699)          2,669              970              (513)            418              (95)
                                                                 As of March 31, 2012                               As of December 31, 2011
                                                   ------------------------------------------------    ------------------------------------------------
                                                        ARAH              ARH             Total             ARAH              ARH             Total
        Assets
            Cash                                    $   4,638        $  37,089        $  41,727         $   4,638        $  32,136        $  36,774
            Deferred financing costs, net                 576            4,161            4,737               611            4,351            4,962
        Liabilities
            Current portion of long-term debt               -            2,738            2,738                 -            2,662            2,662
            Long-term debt, less current portion      145,934          249,936          395,870           141,844          249,240          391,084
        



SOURCE: American Renal Associates Holdings, Inc.




        
        American Renal Associates Holdings, Inc. 
        Jonathan Wilcox, 978-922-3080 ext. 385 
        Chief Financial Officer
        



Copyright Business Wire 2012

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