When I was serving as my father’s caregiver through his dialysis treatments, I was struck by how difficult it can be to navigate the health insurance landscape. I was constantly on the phone with Medicare and the VA to ensure he was covered. Dialysis is an essential treatment that extends someone’s life and keeps them healthy, which is why it shouldn’t be hard to get proper coverage. Yet instead of becoming easier for patients, it’s getting even more complicated. The Supreme Court recently ruled that private insurers may no longer have to provide full coverage for dialysis treatments, even though [...]

I urge U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) to support the Restore Protections for Dialysis Patients Act. This legislation allows new dialysis patients to keep their private insurance, a critical financial lifeline, for their initial months of care. Dialysis is the only treatment for those awaiting a kidney transplant. However, a recent Supreme Court decision enables private insurers to weaken coverage in the first months of care, essentially pushing patients onto Medicare prematurely. This shift places enormous burdens on patients who need stability during a challenging time when they are often focused on just trying to keep their jobs. I was [...]

Americans should never be punished for having a debilitating illness. Unfortunately, that’s what happens to people like me with illnesses such as End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD), otherwise known as kidney failure. ESRD changed my life. Paying for ESRD treatment, whether it was dialysis (the treatment which works in place of kidneys) or transplant, both of which I experienced, proved to be extremely difficult. I had to rely on Cobra, Medicare, and Medicaid, and I struggled to pay for life-saving treatment. For other ESRD patients, they face financial burdens because private insurers are allowed to kick them off their insurance. [...]

COVID-19 changed the lives of all Americans. For me, a COVID-19 infection led to kidney failure. When the doctor diagnosed me with End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD), I could not believe it. Suddenly, I had to begin dialysis, the arduous and frequent treatment which replaces my kidneys. Dialysis allows me to live. Unfortunately, the health care expenses for dialysis patients can become overwhelming, especially since many of us have other health conditions. Fortunately, I began treatment on private insurance with a very low deductible, which kept me afloat. Dialysis became much less affordable once I transitioned to Medicare after 30 [...]

To the Editor: Chances are you know someone with End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD), or kidney failure. ESRD affects people of all ages and backgrounds. My kidneys failed despite the fact that I had a healthy lifestyle, and it was a hard pill to swallow. The only two treatments available for kidney failure are transplants — which are scarce — and dialysis, the treatment that removes extra fluid and waste products from your blood when your kidneys can’t. I received dialysis treatment for seven years before receiving a transplant in 2023. Dialysis is an expensive treatment. Thankfully, my Congressman, Paul [...]

Dialysis patients and families of the 9th Congressional District need your help. In 2022, the Supreme Court decided that group health plans do not violate the Medicare Secondary Payer Plan (MSP) law by changing the benefits for dialysis patients, which could force them into government coverage. This decision will place dialysis patients and their families in severe financial hardship, as Medicare only covers 80% of our health care expenses. Only recently did my state look at increasing patient access to private plans to help us cover the remaining 20%. In the meantime, we face restricted access to care and even [...]

Editor, I’ve been on dialysis for more than 20 years, and I, like many other patients, struggle to afford the treatments that keep me alive. America’s health insurance system is supposed to give all patients equal support, but for dialysis patients, it doesn’t feel that way. The Supreme Court ruled that private insurers could automatically transition dialysis patients to Medicare instead of allowing them to stay on their private insurance for 30 months. When you first start dialysis, you’re quite sick and the experience can be traumatic, so it’s a terrible time to not only switch health plans but to [...]

My daughter Dianne passed away at the age of 45 due to complications related to kidney failure, or End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD). Anyone who has lost a child knows the indescribable loss I experienced. However, few people understand the financial burdens ESRD patients face in addition to managing their health. I am extremely grateful that Medicare, combined with the benefits provided by the state of Pennsylvania, covered the bulk of Dianne’s healthcare expenses. Other patients, though, rely on employer-provided private insurance to cover their health care costs, especially in the beginning months of care before switching to Medicare.  Yet, [...]