Dialysis Patient Citizens Launches Interactive Report Card on Medigap Coverage for ESRD Patients Under 65

WASHINGTON, Sept. 15, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Dialysis Patient Citizens (DPC) today launched an interactive report card outlining Medigap coverage for End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) patients under the age of 65. This innovative online tool will help dialysis patients under 65 better understand the availability of Medigap coverage in their state.

Providing accessible, affordable Medigap coverage for patients with ESRD is critical to ensuring they can fully cover the cost of their care, as Medicare only pays for 80 percent of an individual's healthcare costs. Even in states where plans are accessible, most often they are not affordable to patients, creating significant barriers. 

"Right now, there are no state protections in Alabama for ESRD patients like me who are under the age of 65," said DPC Board President Andrew Conkling. "Even when some insurers do offer Medigap coverage for ESRD patients, the premiums are often too high for many of us. Those of us who can get Medigap coverage rely on it for our own financial security, or for access to a kidney transplant."

To help address these disparities in Medigap access, DPC is calling on Congress to enact the Jack Reynolds Memorial Medigap Expansion Act (H.R. 1676). This bipartisan legislation was introduced by Representatives Cindy Axne (D-IA) and Jaime Herrera Beutler (R-WA) earlier this year to provide all ESRD patients with access to supplemental insurance, which is often required for life saving transplants.

The DPC Report Card on Medigap Coverage for ESRD Patients Under 65 Years of Age provides patients and policy makers with an interactive map to check the availability of affordable coverage in their state and understand what protections exist. Using this information, patients can better understand the options available to them and work directly with lawmakers at the state and federal levels to secure patient protections such as H.R. 1676.

View the DPC Report Card here: https://www.dialysispatients.org/policy-issues/promote-financial-security/medigap-coverage/ 

ABOUT DPC:

With more than 30,000 patient members, Dialysis Patient Citizens (DPC) is a patient-led, non-profit organization working to improve the quality of life for all dialysis patients through education and advocacy. Learn more here: https://www.dialysispatients.org/ 

CONTACT: Hannah Bracamonte, (303) 847-9962, hbracamonte@dialysispatients.org

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SOURCE Dialysis Patient Citizens