My wife was diagnosed with kidney failure in January of 2022. I was her primary caregiver until she passed away in June of this year. Now, I dedicate my time advocating for Americans with kidney disease.
A pressing problem facing kidney patients in America is the difficulty paying for dialysis, which keeps patients alive. It can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars without insurance. When my wife started dialysis, we had Medicare, but Medicare only covers 80%. We have a private insurance plan to supplement Medicare, which helped immensely.
For patients with private insurance when beginning dialysis, keeping that insurance for as long as possible before their inevitable transition to Medicare proves fundamental. This does not just help patients, but also their families. So much household income is dedicated to healthcare and without good insurance, paying for dialysis can be daunting.
I am particularly concerned with a recent Supreme Court decision which allows private insurance companies to push dialysis patients onto Medicare before they can figure out supplemental options. I therefore ask Congress to introduce legislation which would give dialysis patients the ability to keep their private insurance, if they choose. Doing so may save millions.
Louis Sokol, Rockville, Maryland
