Kidney failure patient implores Congress to pass Kidney Care Access Protection Act

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Dear Editor:

In 2015, I was raising my family, preparing for law school, and building a future I believed in.

Then, seemingly overnight, my life changed; I was diagnosed with kidney failure.

The years that followed were some of the hardest I’ve ever faced. I’m beyond grateful that I received a kidney transplant in 2021, but the road there was long, painful, and at times, discouraging.

What stands out most from that journey is just how outdated and underfunded kidney care in this country still is. Medicare doesn’t go far enough to support dialysis centers or encourage the kind of innovation that could actually save lives. For years, I received the same type of care even when more effective treatments existed simply because there wasn’t enough investment in access or advancement.

The Kidney Care Access Protection Act would help change that. It would ensure Medicare keeps up with the rising costs of care and extend support for newer, more effective kidney treatments giving patients like me a real chance at quality, not just survival.

People living with kidney failure deserve better than a broken system that’s barely holding together. I’m asking Congress to do what’s right: pass this bill and give kidney patients the care and dignity we deserve.

Niesha N. Neal, BS, MCPC
Indianapolis