My father’s battle with end-stage renal disease changed our family’s life. I cared for him as he endured dialysis for two years, showing immense courage. He received two transplants, including one of my kidneys, but sadly, he passed away.
In his memory, I now advocate for kidney patients and am pursuing a master’s degree in physiology at Georgetown University. Dialysis patients like my father often face financial hardships. As a business owner, he paid up to $1,400 monthly for private insurance to receive better treatment options than state insurance could provide.
Previously, end-stage renal disease patients could keep their private insurance for 30 months before transitioning to Medicare. However, a recent Supreme Court decision opened the door for private insurers to push new dialysis patients off their plans, leading to fewer options and more uncovered expenses.
D.C. Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton should support the Restore Protections for Dialysis Patients Act to ensure 30 months of private coverage for new dialysis patients. It’s the least we can do for such a vulnerable community.
Kate Roam, Washington, D.C.
