Preserve health protections

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 private insurance coverage are often put at the bottom of the list for a transplant.

That's why a recent Supreme Court decision allowing private insurers to weaken coverage for new dialysis patients poses a serious threat. Now, it’s possible for private insurers to effectively push patients onto Medicare before they’re ready by limiting benefits or reimbursements. That could leave them without sufficient coverage, hurting their chances of receiving a transplant.

Lawmakers should support the Restore Protections for Dialysis Patients Act, which would allow dialysis patients to maintain 30 months of full private coverage before transitioning to Medicare.

Merida Bourjolly