For most patients with End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD), or kidney failure, their diagnosis comes as a shock. One day, I was suddenly rushed to the ER and received the shocking diagnosis. I suddenly had to begin dialysis, the only treatment for ESRD outside of a kidney transplant. My life changed at that moment. I would now have to do almost daily dialysis treatments that can take several hours each time. I didn’t know how I was going to keep working and make ends meet.
On top of that, I’ve had to deal with Medicare and Medicaid for my coverage — a complicated and time-consuming burden. I also must pay thousands out of pocket in health care expenses when traveling out of state.
Dialysis patients often prefer private insurance because it’s easier to navigate and provides more comprehensive coverage. Many patients don’t even immediately qualify for Medicare or Medicaid and rely instead on private insurance to cover their expenses.
But recently, the Supreme Court empowered private insurers to weaken coverage in the first 30 months of dialysis care, the crucial time before many patients transition to Medicare. We cannot let insurers abandon these patients, especially since that 30-month protection has been in place for decades.
Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr. must support the Restore Protections for Dialysis Patients Act, which would restore private insurance protections for dialysis patients during those first 30 months.
Stephanie Dixon, Rutherford, New Jersey
