Dear Editor: Kidney failure, known as end stage renal disease (ESRD), brought many difficulties to my life. I had high blood pressure and diabetes, which ultimately caused my kidneys to fail.
My kidney disease went undiagnosed for a long time, and when I was diagnosed, my husband, daughter and grandson had all recently passed away. I was already going through so much. My diagnosis made things even harder.
Despite physical and financial problems, I’ve managed to persevere on dialysis resiliently. Financially, I’ve relied on Medicare and Medicaid, but I still have to pay out of pocket for many medications. It’s been a real challenge.
That’s why I was shocked to learn that a recent Supreme Court ruling can make it harder for dialysis patients to cover their healthcare expenses. The decision made it easier for private insurers to cut costs and weaken coverage for new dialysis patients. It can result in diminished care in those vital, traditionally protected first months of treatment and reduce the chances that patients receive a kidney transplant.
U.S. Rep. Gwenn Moore, D-Milwaukee, must support the Restore Protections for Dialysis Patients Act to protect patients’ insurance coverage and the chances they’ll receive a transplant.
Marcine Spoke, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
