Kidney patients from across South Carolina joined the National Kidney Foundation Serving the Carolinas, South Carolina Region and Dialysis Patient Citizens in holding a briefing at the State Capitol Rotunda, followed by a series of meetings with lawmakers and staff.

 

In pushing the passage of key legislation this year, lawmakes would help almost 500 South Carolina kidney failure patients and thousands of disabled South Carolinians who are struggling to gain access to health insurance for the life-saving medical care they require.

 

The legislation – S. 1128 that is sponsored by Senator Harvey Peeler (R-Cherokee), and H. 4552, sponsored by Representatives Joan Brady (R-Richland), Bill Sandifer (R-Seneca) and Kristopher Crawford (R-Florence) would provide the opportunity for South Carolina’s end stage renal disease (ESRD) patients and disabled patients under the age of 65 to buy Medigap secondary insurance coverage.

 

Under the present federal law, all Medicare beneficiaries over the age of 65 are already able to buy Medigap, which provides them with access to needed medical treatments without cost being an obstacle. Patients and kidney care advocates will request lawmakers to extend the same coverage option to South Carolina’s ESRD and disabled Medicare beneficiaries under age 65.

 

If South Carolina passes this important legislation, fewer people will be forced to spend down their assets to enter the state Medicaid program which will result in Medicaid savings of up to $4.6 million over the next five years for South Carolina and also protecting taxpayers from higher program costs.

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