To the editor: I’ve had kidney troubles ever since I was born. It’s been exhausting managing my health care needs. It became even harder when I began dialysis, the only treatment for kidney failure besides a transplant. Taking care of my health while fulfilling my responsibilities as a mother and a business owner was overwhelming. If you or a loved one have had intensive medical needs, you know how incredibly hard daily life becomes. Eventually, I was able to receive a kidney transplant — only because I have private insurance in addition to Medicare. It’s unconscionable that dialysis patients without [...]

Like over 91,000 Californians, my father suffers from end stage renal disease — kidney failure, or ESRD. My father has been receiving dialysis, the only treatment for ESRD besides a kidney transplant, for over 18 years. Dialysis is a life-consuming, exhausting treatment, but it keeps my father alive. I have served as my father’s part-time caregiver during these years. Unfortunately, many dialysis patients struggle with their healthcare expenses. Many rely on their employer-provided private insurance, especially during the first months of care, but dialysis treatment can make it very challenging to continue working. Since most receive their diagnosis unexpectedly, having that insurance [...]

One day, I began feeling very tired and felt short-of-breath. Next thing I knew, I awoke in the hospital and received the diagnosis of End Stage Renal Disease, or kidney failure. I immediately needed to undergo dialysis, the three times per week treatment which filters my blood. I received dialysis treatments for five years in order to stay alive, before receiving a kidney transplant in 2016. Unfortunately, many dialysis patients struggle to pay for their all of their health care expenses, which often puts transplant out of reach for many. Thankfully, I qualified for Medicare and Medicaid. However, many patients [...]

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 [...]