I have progressive chronic kidney disease (CKD). One day, my kidneys will fail. Dialysis — a life-saving treatment that removes waste from the blood when the kidneys fail — is in my future. Right now, I am doing everything I can to slow the progression of my disease. But one thing I can’t control is whether I’ll be able to afford very expensive dialysis treatment when the time comes. I recently lost my job, which means I lost my private insurance. I bought my own private plan to keep the care I need, but that’s only a temporary fix. My [...]

As a dialysis patient and healthcare professional, I urge California’s state legislature, especially Sen. Caroline Menjivar (CA-20) and Assemblymember Nick Schultz (CA-44), to support Senate Bill 242. This bill expands access to affordable Medigap plans for all dialysis patients, regardless of age. Kidney failure comes unexpectedly for most, as it did for me. Kidney failure requires routine dialysis treatment to stay alive while awaiting a transplant, and I spent two years on peritoneal dialysis before receiving a kidney and pancreas transplant. Without reliable healthcare coverage, my transplant wouldn’t have been possible and I would have died simply because I am [...]