Association of Anemia and Iron Parameters With Mortality Among Patients Undergoing Prevalent Hemodialysis in Taiwan: The AIM - HD Study.

Background The Taiwan Health Insurance Bureau has conducted a bundled payment system for hemodialysis reimbursement since 1995. The maximum dose of erythropoiesis-stimulating agents allowed by insurance is capped at 20 000 U of epoetin or 100 μg of darbepoetin alfa per month. Nephrologists have avoided the use of high dosages of erythropoiesis-stimulating agents to achieve a hemoglobin level of 10 to 11 g/dL by iron supplementation.