By Antonio Green of Virginia Beach, VA.
While working in Abu Dhabi, I found out I had kidney disease and needed to begin dialysis. I was able to continue working abroad for a few more years, but a 2017 trip to the hospital showed me it was time to move back home.
Since then, I’ve noticed that a better, more coordinated system is needed to help dialysis patients. Even when I had a care coordinator, I found the system never really worked for me. Whether it was managing medications, doctors’ appointments or even my attempts to get a kidney transplant, I always had to control the process myself.
That’s why dialysis patients in Virginia need Representative Elaine Luria and our other members of Congress to support a new bill called the BETTER Kidney Care Act. It would improve coordinated care for patients and make it easier for doctors to work together, taking a lot of the burden off of us.
Having to do as much legwork on care coordination as I have can leave dialysis patients, who often cannot speak up for themselves, feeling helpless and prevent them from getting the level of attention and care they need. This new bill can help fix that.
