For six and a half years, I lived through the daily struggles of dialysis and the challenges of getting quality care before I finally received a kidney transplant in 2009. 
The coverage I received while on dialysis simply wasn’t enough to pay for all of the medications I needed because I was under the age of 65 and did not have access to Medigap insurance. A new bill, the Jack Reynolds Memorial Medigap Expansion Act, would help prevent this from happening to other patients by expanding Medigap coverage to dialysis patients under 65 so that no one has to choose between things like buying groceries or receiving the healthcare they need. It’s crucial that our representatives in Washington, like Representative Jeff Van Drew, Senator Cory Booker, and Senator Bob Menendez pass this bill.
Even now after my transplant, I continue to see the hurdles dialysis patients face on a daily basis through my work as a nurse. When I treat patients with kidney disease, I understand what they mean when they say they can’t afford their medications. I know firsthand how devastating that is.
The Jack Reynolds Memorial Medigap Expansion Act would help dialysis patients receive all of the care they need, which is why our representatives must support this bill.
Shekeila Harris , Vineland, New Jersey
