As someone who has been on dialysis for over two decades, I know that access to consistent, affordable care is not optional; it’s life or death.
Kidney disease almost cost me my life. I spend over a month in the hospital when I was first diagnosed, and dialysis is what allowed me to rebuild my strength and survive. A previous kidney transplant eventually failed, and today I’m back on dialysis and at the top of Colorado’s transplant list.
Dialysis takes a massive physical and mental toll. Some days, simply getting through treatment feels like a full-time job.
Despite the challenges, I try to stay positive. After recovering, I was able to return to my music, a reminder that life doesn’t stop with diagnosis. Still, keeping a regular work schedule is nearly impossible, which is why strong patient protections and coverage are so important.
That’s why I’m grateful Colorado Reps. Jason Crow, Joe Neguse, and Brittany Pettersen support the Restore Protections for Dialysis Patients Act. This bipartisan legislation protects people with kidney disease from private insurance pushing dialysis patients off their plan prematurely. This bill ensures patients can keep their private health coverage for the full 30-month period, so they are medically and financially prepared. I urge Sens. Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper and the rest of Colorado’s congressional delegation to also stand with dialysis patients by cosponsoring this important legislation.
Michael Peoples, Aurora, Colorado
