A kidney disease diagnosis is life-changing. It means undergoing hours-long dialysis treatments several times every week, spending more time at doctors’ appointments, and completely overhauling how patients live their lives.

The stress of that change is only complicated by the fact that for a lot of dialysis patients, the responsibility for tracking treatments, medications and communicating with their nephrologist and primary care doctor and any number of other care providers so that treatments do not overlap or interfere with each other.

Sen. Todd Young has introduced a bill called the BETTER Kidney Care Act, which would make it easier for a dialysis patient’s doctors to share critical information. The measure also offers dental coverage and transportation to local dialysis clinics.

Passing this would significantly lessen the burden for patients, allowing them to focus on their health. I’m happy that Sen. Young sees the importance of this issue, and I hope his fellow members of Congress help him pass this bill.

David Berman, Indianapolis, Indiana

This article was originally published in the Indianapolis Star.