For decades, I worked as a teacher and mentor to students I loved. Then suddenly, I was diagnosed with kidney failure. Now, I’m a dialysis patient who relies on
an exhausting treatment to survive.
I was first diagnosed with kidney disease in 2016 after a family history of high blood pressure caught up with me. I came off dialysis for a few years after weight loss surgery, but in 2023, my kidneys failed again.
I had to stop working, because of having too many doctor’s appointments and too many sick days. I lost my private insurance, and Medicaid turned me down because my husband makes $430 a week. Medicare only covers 80%, and now I pay over $500 every few months just to stay afloat. When lose my disability benefits this year, paying these bills may become impossible.
Too many patients like me fall through the cracks. We’ve worked, paid taxes, and played by the rules. But when our kidneys fail, many are forced off private plans too soon, even if they continue working. They’re often left with crushing debt.
That’s why Congress must pass the Restore Protections for Dialysis Patients Act. This bill would let patients keep their private insurance for the first 30 months of dialysis, a previous protection threatened by a recent Supreme Court case. Those 30 months mean less stress, better care, higher transplant odds, and — most importantly — a chance to plan for a difficult change in lifestyle.
I urge Rep. Aaron Bean to cosponsor this bill. Patients like me need it.
Kahala Adams, Jacksonville, Florida
