Americans should never be punished for having a debilitating illness. Unfortunately, that’s what happens to people like me with illnesses such as End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD), otherwise known as kidney failure. ESRD changed my life. Paying for ESRD treatment, whether it was dialysis (the treatment which works in place of kidneys) or transplant, both of which I experienced, proved to be extremely difficult. I had to rely on Cobra, Medicare, and Medicaid, and I struggled to pay for life-saving treatment. For other ESRD patients, they face financial burdens because private insurers are allowed to kick them off their insurance. Private insurers push dialysis patients off their plans far too early to improve their bottom line, leaving patients to fend for themselves. I am calling on Congressman Mike Turner (R-OH) to help pass the Restore Protections for Dialysis Patients Act, which would guarantee new dialysis patients can keep their private insurance for the first 30 months of care. Insurers shouldn’t be able to kick people off their plans as soon as they get sick.
Porothea Dennis, Dayton, Ohio
